Valkyrie story of The Planet's WEAPONS
by saster123
Summary: People assume that WEAPONS dont think, guns dont have souls and monsters can only hate... when JENOVA threatens the world yet again, AVALANCHE must stand and fight once more. But could one person be the unwilling key to bring about the return of Sephiroth? conflict, pain everything blurs and is pushed along, can you triumph when your enemy is yourself? rated T for being Tenacious
1. Chapter 1 The Vanishing Man

**A MAN WALKS INTO A BAR...**

It was one of those dark moonless nights, full of that unsettling silence that chilled the people on the street to the core. The kind of night that waited eagerly for trouble so it could swoop down on the unfortunate victim like a bird of prey. The usually bustling city of Edge was near deserted because of the annual festival in Kalm, making the streets eerily quiet and making the inhabitants jumpy.

A strange man stepped out of the gloom into the spot light of a street lamp and silently surveyed his surroundings. He wore a long leather coat that touched the floor and was open slightly at the front despite the severe chill in the air. Slowly he pulled his hood up, covering his face and stiffly withdrew into the shadows, almost as if he had never been there. Walking quickly by quietly, almost like a whisper on the wind rather then a man clad in heavy leather, he searched for somewhere to rest. He arrived outside a bar that looked comfortable, and since the first drops of rain had began to fall with mounting ferocity,the foot soldiers of the on coming storm, he slipped inside.

The bartender was a slender, fair skinned smiling young woman with long brown hair, most would probably have considered her beautiful but her radiance was wasted on the man who had quietly entered the bar. He sat at the deserted counter and looked around the room, which was entirely empty, and waited for the woman to notice him. After a few seconds she did, probably alerted by the slight draft that had entered with him he mused, and jumped. Instantly he could tell he was dealing with a warrior or someone who knew how to fight from the way her stance changed when frightened. He couldn't help but stare intently, without even meaning to absorbing the micro-expressions that crossed the woman's face; fear-surprise-relief.

"Oh hello I didn't see you there, what would you like to drink?"

"Whatever you would recommend."

He had a deep voice... but it somehow felt like it belonged to someone far younger then the man in front of her. He had a slight accent but what it was she had no idea, maybe someone from up north?

The woman smiled and nodded, slightly unnerved by the mystery man's presence but too polite to let it show. She placed a glass of dark liquid on the counter and in turn the man put a handful of Gil on the bar top, it was a silent exchange, even the coins seemed to noiselessly land on the counter top. The woman watched, fascinated as the glass disappeared inside the hood and emerged seconds later empty, she could only make out the slight outline of his face and she was curious.

"If you like, I could hang your coat up to dry it"

She shifted uncomfortably as a few seconds past, wondering if she had overstepped some invisible boundary. Even though she couldn't see her costumers face she somehow knew he was staring intently at her. She was used to men staring at her, or more exactly her chest, but this was not the same, the stranger was looking at her face, tilting his head ever so slightly to the left. She was just about to back-paddle, and say he could leave it on and that it had only been a suggestion, when he lowered his hood and unzipped the coat.

"Thank you, that would be most desirable"

She nodded taking the coat and gently hanging it up; she turned and took the time to survey the man from a distance. He had short lavender hair framing his pallid face, a tone, she might add, that rivaled even Vincent's complexion... it would rival a corpses complexion. As she returned and stood in front of him, she saw his dark purple eyes and somber expression, maybe he had been the victim of some sort of terrible prank at the festival. Then again he didnt seem the sort to be upset so easily, maybe the hair and eyes was some sort of statement. Come to think of it some of the masses had taken to dying the hair colours of lifestream, something to do with showing their support for the WRO, with a pale shade of hair like that he could easily fit into that category and contacts would only be a little step further.

He stared at the bar top and peeled off a glove which he laid on the counter, she nearly recoiled, many questions forming in her head, when she saw it was made from Tonberry skin. On closer inspection, she saw all of his clothes were patched with various monster skins. He caught her gaze and she looked away like she had been doing something naughty.

"I… I'm so sorry I was just… admiring your clothes"

She hated herself for stammering, it was unlike her to be anything apart from confident but this man had unsettled her. The man looked down at himself with interest, as if no one had ever commented on his strange attire before, which she supposed was a possibility. There was a whole minute of silence between them, broken only by the winter storm that had started outside and was rattling the windows like an animal would rattle it's cage. In an attempt to break the silence, the woman smiled and said.

"My name is Tifa, what's yours?"

The man's eyes flicked to the bottles behind her the back to her never wavering in intensity. With slight hesitation he half whispered.

"My name is ca...Carl Jameson."

Tifa looked at him with mild skepticism but briskly brushed it away, it wasn't her style to call a customer a liar.

"So are you a monster hunter?"

"No."

"Oh…" she had been hoping for more then one syllable. "So what brings you to Edge? Most everyone's at the festival in Kalm."

"I do not go to festivals."

Carl put an elbow on the counter, his sleeve lowering enough to reveal a large scar across his wrist and looked thoughtful, tilting his head to the side once more. "As for why I came here… I was following a remnant"

Tifa nearly dropped the glass she was polishing

"You know about them?"

The man looked at her unblinkingly, somehow he seemed slightly different from before, Tifa had a distinct feeling of danger, chilling her core. He smiled, somehow making himself look unnatural, she had assumed his hair was dyed and he had been wearing contacts but now she wasn't sure.

"Yes, but do not fear I am not referring to the blonde man, I was talking about another remnant," he cocked his head "you shouldn't be worried, it is dead now."

Tifa still hadn't recovered from the fact he knew about the remnants, that he had killed a remnant, she felt it was a distinct possibility he was a remnant.

"How… how do you know about Cloud?"

"Cloud? The blonde remnant? I passed him in the street earlier with two children and sensed the JENOVA inside him was not a threat to the planet. Personally I know nothing about him other then that"

Tifa had a mounting feeling of apprehension deep inside her but tried to hide it, sensing JENOVA was most definitely a remnant trait but caring for the planet?

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you asked."

"No I mean why are you not lying to me?"

"Would you rather I did?" he cocked his head the other way "and how do you know I'm not?"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to sound rude but… how do you know so much?"

"That would be a long story that I would rather not tell if it all the same to you."

"Oh of course I didn't mean to pry."

Yes she did, she wanted to know why he was here… what was he you?

"Not at all, here, may I have a refill?" he asked as he passed his glass to her carefully. She filled it again and passed it back to him. Their fingers met and a small electric shock passed between them, Carl recoiled very suddenly, slopping some of the liquid onto the counter top he put the glass down abruptly and lowered his gaze.

"Forgive me." he muttered as Tifa wiped it with a tea towel.

"Hey it's not your fault, just a little static."

Tifa glanced across the wooden floor and tiles trying to determine where the rogue charge had come from.

Carl remained silent, pensively staring at his hand, when he eventually looked up, he seemed slightly dazed. Tifa looked at him worriedly, despite still having lingering thought of him being a remnant, though somehow Tifa knew that wasn't the case either, he was too… she didn't know, familiar?

"Are you okay?"

He blinked slowly then nodded looking away ashamed, by what she didnt know.

"I am fine."

He downed his drink and put some more Gil on the counter, not as silently as before. In one quick motion, he was by the door, pulling his coat on, he looked over his shoulder.

"I'll be going now"

Tifa looked from Carl, to the storm outside, in which rain fell in icy cold sheets. A piece of metal flew through the air, the battered remains of a stop sign, as it was whipped about by the savage wind as if it were weightless.

"Hey, wait!" Carl stopped at the door, looking back "we have rooms upstairs, you could stay here, that storm looks dangerous."

"No thank you I must be getting on." he paused and put his hood up slowly, musing over something.

" ?"

"Yes?"

"He... he's still very proud of you... he just wishes you weren't so full of hate… He is watching over you and so are your friends. In the Lifestream. Your friend told me you were the best cook ever and even now he wishes he could still taste your cooking"

Carl opened the door and slipped out while Tifa stood speechless at the bar, had he called her ?. After a few seconds she ran to the door and threw it open, immediately she was buffeted by the strong wind. She looked out but the mysterious man was no where to be seen, he had vanished without a trace.


	2. Chapter 2 Enter White Rose Of Wutai

**HEROES ARE MADE BY THE PATHS THEY CHOOSE, NOT THE POWERS THEY ARE GRACED WITH- BRODI ASHTON**

Tifa rubbed her eyes tiredly and rolled out of bed, the bar was quiet without Marlene and Denzel around, too quiet. They would be back later today, the buggy travels fast and Kalm that wasn't far away, even with Cloud driving. Wearily Tifa dressed and open the curtains in her room, a flash of yellow in the street below followed by an incessant knocking, told her one thing; Yuffie had just arrived. Suppressing a sigh Tifa quickly changed and made her way down stairs to let the excitable teen in, she did remember that Yuffie had promised, or threatened, which did seem a more appropriate term, to visit.

"Hi Tifa, hugs!"

"Oof!"

Yuffie had flung herself bodily at Tifa as she opened the door; if it wasn't for her martial arts training, she would have fallen over backwards. Yuffie bounced back and hit her head on the door frame.

"Ouwie! That hurt!"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, glad to get some sympathy not like Vincent that stick in the mud!"

"I don't think he is the sympathetic type..."

"No he is the vampire type! Really gives me the heebeejeebees."

She shuddered dramatically and made a show of looking over her shoulder, then she turned the full force of her beam against Tifa, who subconsciously checked her materia, she belatedly remembered she didn't have it equipped. Yuffie did a sort of pirouette and waved her hands about.

"So listen, I was talking to Reeve and the gang, and he had been talking to Red and the gang, and apparently Red said, that the planet said, that there was a disturbance" (when she said 'disturbance' she made a wavy motion with her hand)." she pointed to herself smugly and said "of course the first person Reeve deployed on this job was me! The Wutai super ninja with infinite skill and prowess and the instincts of a true warrior!" in Yuffie excitement and wild hand gestures she knocked her hand against the door frame.

"Ack!"

She yelped in a very Yuffie like fashion.

"So Super Ninja Yuffie how can I help you?"

Translation: how can I get rid of you?

Yuffie cradled her hand as if it were broken but then she looked sheepish

"Well you see, Reeve ask me to look into it, to see if I could find the source of the disturbance with my ninja powers."

Translation: keep Yuffie busy while the WRO got to work on finding the disturbance.

"But see, the problem is, I haven't got any leads and I was wondering if you had heard anything."

"Why would I have heard anything?"

"Well you're a bartender aren't ya? People get drunk they tell you things"

Tifa didn't like the built up trust between her and her customers being belittled but said nothing.

"Well actually there is something. Last night this strange guy came in, lavender hair, purple eyes and he was wearing Tonberry skin gloves."

"Yuck that is so gross!"

"Yeah but get this; he said he had been following a remnant and he had been able to tell that Cloud had JENOVA cells inside him."

"well that's not hard, Cloud has those mako-y eyes you know, he is bound to stick out in a crowd with his chocobo hair and as for the remnant stuff, he was probably bluffing and if not its not hard to tell them from the crowd either I mean most of the time they are like slow shuffling zombies (she put her arms out rolling her eyes back in her head then snapped them back putting her hands on her hips)."

"Yeah still he said strange things… anyway if there are remnants on the prowl don't you think that is something worthy of the Wutai Super Ninja's unique abilities?"

"Hey you're right Tifa! This mission is something only I can solve! See you round Tifs!"

She was gone within a few seconds. Thank Gaia! Any long time exposure to Yuffie was somewhat tiring. Tifa wondered how long it would take for Cloud and the others to return, the guy from last night had put her on edge, more then she would like to admit. Something about him, apart from how he looked and the strange things he had said, he seemed so sincere. She briefly wondered what he was doing now, but dismissed the thought before it had even fully formed; it was no use her worrying herself over a total stranger… still had he been talking about her father? And Biggs? How would he know about them? The more she analyzed it in her head, the harder things were to understand. She closed the door and opened the window, looking out at the sun nearing its zenith in the sky. So Nanaki had sensed a disturbance… it wasn't surprising these days with rogue Shinra employees on the loose and now these remnants, still Tifa had to wonder if it was something to do with the stranger from last night…

He opened his eyes and dropped down from the tree he had slept in, stretching lazily to get rid of the stiffness. He took the time to allow his clothes to dry, the storm had been fierce and being high up in the tree had its disadvantages. He could sense JENOVA's stigmatic leaching presence even here; it was sickening, even now that geostigma had been all but eradicated the stench remained. This land so close to Midgar, was still tainted with the sickly and acrid smells of processed mako and JENOVA; it took most of his restraint not to tear at the ground, in an attempt to rid the soil of the unearthly scents. His trained eyes picked out a dust cloud on the horizon and soon a metal truck zoomed past, obviously driven by someone not used to dealing with trucks, his other senses told him that the blond remnant… Cloud as the woman from the bar had called him, he was in that truck. Cloud wasn't a threat though; the cells inside him were in a submissive state and were being kept in control, as long as they were under control he didn't care. He stared at his gloved hand and cursed bitterly while making a fist, why had the bartender touched his hand? He knew it had been an accident but that didn't stop him hearing the voices of the dead, the ones she held dear. The feeling will fade with time but for now it was an irreparable mistake, he would always hear them now, what a curse. His senses prickled as he felt another remnant closing in, a group small in number, he corrected himself. Damn that Sephiroth and his determination, his knowledge of the planet allows him to strike at it even now, from within the Lifestream. He was glad he couldn't hear Sephiroth in his head; he had been spared that, despite having physical contact with many remnants. Then again, was Sephiroth the one the remnants held dear? He let his senses tell him what was happening, the group was converging somewhere in Edge, they were heading toward Cloud. Of course! That high concentration of JENOVA cells! It was drawing them out, like poison from a wound. A slight growl escaped his lips, Cloud was a dangerous remnant, his good heart made it undesirable to kill him but the high concentration of JENOVA cells made him a prime target. He decided to make his move, pulling his hood up the mysterious man set back toward the town at a run.

"I think I will keep the name Carl for now"

He whispered to himself

"After all I don't have one anymore…"


	3. Chapter 3 Children In Trouble

**THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MOMENT, AT THE BEGINNING WHERE WE COULD HAVE SAID NO. BUT SOMEHOW WE MISSED IT-TOM STOPPARD**

Cloud parked the buggy outside Seventh Heaven and opened the door for Denzel and Marlene, he smiled at their happy faces, Denzel's was smeared with chocolate, while Marlene had ice cream on the tip of her nose. He took a tissue from his pocket and wiped them clean just in time. Tifa step out of the bar

"Your back!"

"Hey Tifa! we brought you some cotton candy."

"How gentlemanly of you."

"No big deal."

Marlene jumped over to Tifa in apparent excitement.

"Tifa, would it be okay if we went to see our friend Russell? we want to show him our trinkets."

"Fine by me, but be back for dinner."

The excited children shrieked with happiness, before running off. Tifa stared after them smiling.

"So any news?"

"Hmmm?"

"Any news?"

"Oh yeah a little Yuffie visited and… last night..."

"What happened?"

"Nothing a such, just this strange man was in and he said a few strange things."

"What did he say?"

"Well, he talked about a remnant and he seemed to have sensed the JENOVA cells inside you, then he…"

"He what?"

"It sounds ridiculous I know. Before he left, he seemed to be telling me about my father and Biggs, like they were watching over me."

"What a creep."

She shook herself, suddenly feeling cold despite the warmth of the day. She looked up and saw a pair of catlike eyes peering at her from the adjacent roof…

Marlene and Denzel had arrived in Russell's neighborhood but the boy was sick and his mother wouldn't allow them inside. Disappointed, the children were trudging home when a stranger stepped in front of them. He was cloaked in a long black garment that hid his face and drooped forward as if he wasn't used to standing upright. With surprising quickness he bent reaching to his side-

"Ah, Denzel that man is drawing his sword at us!"

They both looked in horror as the tall bony thin man in a cloak, charged in their direction, he moved jerkily, like some weird puppet. The children shrieked in horror and began to run away, Marlene tripped and cut her knee and Denzel skidded to a halt to help her up. The cloaked figure crossed the distance between them and brought his sword down toward them. Marlene cried out in fear and Denzel shielded her with his body…

Cloud heard the scream but couldn't move toward Marlene's voice, the group had surrounded him and Tifa. Remnants! but under closer inspection, all the remnants around them appeared to be part monster, not like the human victims he had seen before. These remnants had been born like this, was this JENOVA's handy work? Or maybe Sephiroth from within the Lifestream, after all he had promised to Cloud that he would never be a memory and hatred as strong as his, would take a long time to dissipate. He raised his buster sword in preparation for the attack and shouted

"Hang on Marlene I'm coming!"

He nodded to Tifa and she nodded back and they flung themselves at the remnants.

Marlene and Denzel looked up with equal confusion; the blow seemed to have been delayed for far too long. They saw a new stranger had deflected the blow with a spiky armored sleeve and stood between the swordsman and themselves, he turned his head slightly.

"Are you two okay?" He asked gently, in a low baritone the children nodded. "Good, now close your eyes, this isn't something children should see. Just count to ten and you can open them"

The children nodded and closed their eyes, holding tightly to each other they began to count. Unable to block out the sound they heard horrible gurgling and finally a sickening squeal like scream that was cut short followed by silence, five-six-seven.

"You can open your eyes."

The children opened their eyes and looked up at the stranger. He had purple eyes and pale skin and his hair was a magnificent lavender color.

"Thank you so much sir."

"It was no problem, is there somewhere you can go?"

"Yes back to Seventh Heaven to Tifa!"

"Tifa… I know that place I can take you there."

"Oh I'm sorry," Denzel interjected "but Tifa said we shouldn't go with strangers..."

he'd learnt that all too well.

"Denzel don't be silly he just saved us!"

"I see… well I am Carl Jameson."

"I'm Marlene and this is Denzel."

"Good, now we aren't strangers anymore and I can take you to Seventh Heaven, if that's alright with you?"

"I guess..."

They started to walk back, Marlene and Denzel held hands but when they asked Carl, he declined, saying that he would need them in case they were attacked again. Marlene stared at him with fascination, walking almost sideways to get a good look at him.

"You are beautiful!"

"You think so?" he sounded amused.

"Oh yes, your hair and your eyes I've never seen anything like it!"

"I suppose not."

"I have a friend with red eyes but I haven't ever seen purple eyes."

"Red eyes, they are not as rare as you might think these days, thanks to Shinra's experiments..."

"Oh you know about them?"

"I know a lot of things."

"Is that what happened to you?"

Carl paused a moment as if considering something but then shook his head.

"No I wasn't ever experimented on I was born like this."

"Lucky."

The man smiled.

"If you think so."

Denzel stared at the man's strange clothes

"Are you some kind of monster hunter?"

"No I'm just a traveler."

He stiffened slightly

"Someone is coming; I think it is another remnant, get behind me!"

The children huddled behind him, Cloud ran round the corner holding his sword, the children perked up.

"CLOUD!" they shouted in unison, Carl dropped his battle stance.

"Oh, you two are safe!"

"Yeah, Carl saved us from the bad remnant!"

Cloud looked up staring at the other man.

"You saved them, thank you."

"It was no problem Cloud."

"Why don't you come back to the bar with us?"

"Please come Carl."

"I don't know... I should probably get going"

"You should come. Tifa will want to thank you."

"...Alright."

"Great!"

They headed back toward the bar, as soon as they stepped inside Tifa cried out

"Marlene Denzel!" she looked up "Carl?"

Carl inclined his head slightly

"We meet again."

"Huh?" Cloud looked blankly between them.

"Oh yeah um," she looked around "make yourself at home."

Carl nodded and sat down on a stool. Cloud looked at both of them

"You two know each other?"

"Yes this is Carl, he came in last night."

Finally everything fell into place, the strange man Tifa had met last night was this man who had saved Marlene and Denzel.

"Oh really, what brings you to the area?"

"I am hunting the new breed of remnants."

"Those remnants outside… they were part monster."

Carl nodded

"There has been… a disturbance. These new remnants are becoming more frequently seen. I believe it is the work of Sephiroth and the cursed JENOVA."

"You seem to know a lot."

"I'm glad it seems that way."

Cloud didn't like the way this man spoke but continued on politely

"So why do you hunt the remnants?"

A brief silence passed in which Carl looked at Cloud, with that same intensity as he had with Tifa, the night before; Tifa noticed how he tilted his head slightly to the left before he spoke.

"If nothing is done, great destruction will befall the planet."

"How do you know that? Can you speak to the planet?"

"I'm not an Ancient… I can't speak to the planet… I just pick things up."

"So what exactly are you?"

A slight smile crept on to Carl's face but he ignored the question.

"It doesn't matter I'm not a Sephiroth clone if that's what you are thinking."

Cloud looked away guiltily, confirming Carl's suspicion.

"So what exactly is this 'great destruction' that is going to befall the planet?"

"It is simple really, the planet has been wounded twice in the recent past and JENOVA cell still linger in the Lifestream. JENOVA is a shape shifting entity, when it first fell to earth, it befriended the Ancients, then turned them against each other until they destroyed themselves. The disturbance… it is unique, I believe JENOVA is reforming itself by gathering cells together and mingling with monsters, the planet and cannot heal while JENOVA reunites unless it is stopped then…"

He looked away but when he turned back the others were still looking at him, he nodded toward the children and Tifa caught the look

"Hey Marlene Denzel why don't you go play upstairs."

"Okay Tifa!"

When they were gone Carl looked directly at Cloud.

"JENOVA likes to mingle with sentient beings, even the remnants mixed with monsters have human mixed in as well. The planets final option would be to return all sentient life to the Lifestream."

"How can that be an option!?"

"Humans have caused more harm to the planet in recent years then ever before, it is only instinctual for it to want to rid itself of them in times of crisis, unless something is done soon, then that will be it. This means the elimination, or control of JENOVA and preferably Sephiroth."

"Well we can come with you, this is our problem too."

"I don't think you will be much help."

"Hey! we saved the planet before."

Carl peered at them and then a faint hint of recognition appeared on his face

"Ah now I understand, you are that group… AVALANCHE, the planet speaks highly of you."

"Well good does that mean we can come?"

Carl looked thoughtfully at them then he sighed.

"If that is your destiny, I suppose it is best for me not to interfere… however I can't afford to be slowed down by you. The planet doesn't have enough time left"

"We understand, we can call up the other AVALANCHE members and have a party ready by tomorrow."

Carl inclined his head.

"Do as you wish, I will return tomorrow."

"You can stay here, there is room and it will probably be easier if you are on hand so we don't have to wait for you."

Carl considered then lowered his head.

"As you wish."

Tifa looked more closely at him.

"You don't have any weapons."

"Don't worry about me, I don't need weapons to fight."

He held up his gloved hands and showed off a few metal spikes on his arm's armor.

The day past swiftly and the children insisted on playing with Carl. He was careful not to let them touch his skin and kept his gloves on the whole time, he hated to think about who these children may have lost but he was sure, with their close affiliation with members of AVALANCHE they had probably lost a few. He refused any food or drink offered to him and when it was time for bed he didn't sleep, the close proximity to JENOVA cells was slowly eating away at him. Even alone in the spare room his breath was quick a shallow, as if he had been running, and he couldn't help but clench and unclench his fist repeatedly. He looked out on to the street sensing the night animals; they were harmless though, just dogs and cats so he didn't pay attention to them. What have I gotten myself into? The planet had said these people were trustworthy otherwise he wouldn't have told them anything but he hadn't meant for them to want to tag along. If only he had known that they were the former AVALANCHE members and heroes to the planet. He sighed and waited tomorrow with innate unease.

Tifa watched Marlene in her sleep. It didn't seem right that this little girl should be in danger. The planet was always in danger it seemed and anything they did only slowed the inevitable. Tifa smiled as Marlene curled up under the covers. As long as she had someone to fight for she couldn't let herself get weighed down. If Tifa wasn't smiling then how could she support the others? It was shallow really to believe she was happy just because she had a smile plastered on her face. In truth she was unhappy mainly because Cloud had remained uninterested in her even after Aerith's death. In truth Tifa was about ready to give up on him she had children to look after even if they weren't her own. It was clear to her that Cloud didn't like her in that way. No matter how much she wished he would.


	4. Chapter 4 ModernArchaic

**'Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success'- Henry Ford**

Tifa felt tired, something about Carl had kept her awake all night. She sleepily regarded the other members of AVALANCHE bar Yuffie and Cid. Cid had agreed to look after Marlene and Denzel while they were gone since he was working on some important machine and had said he was too busy to come. At least, that's the more polite way of explaining what he said the real thing had contained a lot more profanity. Shera would look after them Tifa was sure.

Tifa looked over at Carl who had his hood up and was waiting by the door patiently they had agreed to explain since Carl had said he wasn't good at talking to crowds. They had explained everything they knew which wasn't a whole lot and soon reached and agreement they sent word to Reeve to look into the new remnants. Cait Sith wasn't as chatty as usual but did offer to read a fortune to Carl who had apparently never heard of such a thing.

"What is this 'fortune telling'?"

"Well you see I'll try and predict your future."

"I see but the future would change if I knew what was going to happen."

"Well trust me it's not that deep usually."

"Okay Cait Sith tell me my future."

The toyasaurus kicked into gear then said

"If life gives you a lemon make lemonade!"

"…"

"Let me try again."

"Okay."

This went on for several minutes till Carl had heard half a book of recipes and was told to look out for bats. Finally a half decent fortune came out and Cait Sith said

"Ah this is a good one."

"Okay then tell me."

"Family troubles will be overcome in the future but for now one must be cautious not to tread on the tigers tail."

Carl considered.

"Family troubles overcome eh? Seems unlikely one would need a family."

"Oh you don't have one?"

"Not really."

"I'm sorry I'm not actually very good at this fortune telling."

"I guessed but neither am I so I won't judge."

Soon the supplies were packed and they were leaving edge and toward Kalm minus the buggy since Clouds driving had torn it up. They wouldn't have all fit anyway. They walked quickly but even so Carl was always in the lead by a lot. Tifa would have liked to talk to him about his grim predictions but he kept himself at a distance. Night had fallen before they reached Kalm so they set up camp. Tifa offered some of the stew to Carl but he refused. She looked worriedly at him as he climbed a tree and sat on its upper most branches apparently falling asleep.

"Man that guy give me the creeps just like vampy used to." this was Barret

Vincent half looked up at him from over a bowl of stew causing Barret to raise a hand in front of him "no offense vampy but it's true."

Vincent looked back down into his bowl tiredly.

"Yes and he doesn't seem entirely human he smells like something else."

"What do you think he is Nanaki?"

"I don't know, it is almost like pure mako from a mako fountain."

Vincent frowned as one of his many demons, most likely Chaos, laughed at this comment.

"That is weird."

Tifa leaned in, one eye on the sleeping figure high in the tree and in a half whisper she told them about his strange conversation with her.

"Maybe he is a psychic."

"No I don't think so, he didn't even know about fortune telling."

"I don't know, maybe we should just get some rest I'll take first watch."

Tifa sat looking for any sign of trouble, she shivered, it was strange that no creature had attacked them. She heard a strange noise and felt something heavy on her shoulders. She turned and saw Carl who had apparently just jumped from the tree. He had wrapped his coat around her. She instantly felt warmer.

"You should take care of yourself, those short sleeve wont keep you warm especially since it is nearly winter." He looked into the sky "it will snow tomorrow night."

"How do you know?"

"I can sense it in the trees, they know."

"Why do you sleep up there anyway?"

"Habit mainly, not safe on the ground, but also I didn't want to make your friends uncomfortable."

"You think you would make us uncomfortable?"

"Well look at me Tifa, and I know they don't trust me and it's not just them I can't rest around people."

"Why?"

"Experience I suppose, I can't let my guard down."

"Huh I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like you don't trust us either."

"It's nothing personal just my natural instinct."

There was a momentary silence as they watched a rabbit hop past.

"Before who were you talking about and how do you know about them?"

"You mean at the bar?"

"Yes."

"I was talking about your father and someone called Biggs."

"So how do you know about them?"

Carl looked away uncomfortably then removed one of his gloves.

"At the bar when you handed me a drink our hands touched. When people touch my skin, even with some weapons sometimes, I can hear the voices of people watching over them in the Lifestream. Anyone they held dear, those who are waiting for them. Sometimes it is nearly unbearable I never stop hearing them, even now I can hear the voices of your friends wishing you luck."

"Wow that's amazing."

"It's a curse but time dulls you to it, slowly the voices become more unclear as long as I don't listen to them but the never go away."

"That explains it; it must be a burden for you."

He nods

"Sometimes I get a persons memories as well if they are touching me long enough. An understanding of their logic."

"What's it like having other people's memories?"

"Well when I think of that person I think of their memories from their perspective or I just confuse them with my own memories..."

Carl turned his attention to the east

"Is something wrong?"

"A large amount of remnants have just been formed the are grouping together at the base of that mountain."

He points in the direction of chocobo bill's home and the mountain just beyond.

"You can feel it just like that?"

"Yes, it is sickening I can feel them when ever they are formed, I can sense the cells inside Cloud and the red cloaked one."

"I suppose that is another reason to stay up in the tree."

"Hmm yes I suppose so," he looked over his shoulder "your friend stirs I will leave you."

He darted back up the tree as Cloud sleepily stretches and walks over

"I will take over watch Tifa, you get some sleep." he looked at the coat around her shoulders.

"Oh its Carl's he thought I looked cold I wonder if he wants it back."

"I doubt it looks to me like he is sound asleep in his tree."

Tifa looked up and saw Carl in the exact same position as before and felt a sickening jolt. Before she had thought he was asleep but what if he had actually heard her conversation with the others? She felt guilty already. She held onto the coat and sat at the foot of the tree. Thinking about what Carl had said.

Carl looked down at her barely inclining his head. He slipped his glove on and closed his eyes still fully alert and tracking the movements of the remnants. This was going to be interesting he just knew it. The wind blew hard swaying the branch but his nails were embedded firmly in the trunk and he would not easily be shaken off.


	5. Chapter 5 unsettling truths

**'Expect anything from anyone, the devil was once an angel' -Drake Graham**

Just as the enigmatic Carl had predicted; by late evening of the next day snow had formed a thick white blanket on the ground and icy blasts of wind sent them to the ground regularly. Carl himself seemed immune to the harsh weather and insisted that Tifa wore his coat, which was certainly weather proof. She had objected at first but he wouldn't let up and she had eventually given in, its warmth was amazing though it was surprisingly heavy. She was awed by the sheer number of pockets on the coat, they weren't very noticeable from the front but she could feel each ones weight and felt that the probably held something precious and not for her eyes.

The snowy ground was horribly slippery and they still hadn't arrived at Kalm, despite its close proximity to them it might as well have been a million miles away. Finally the snow storm became too fierce for them to continue, every step becoming to much of a struggle against the wrathful wind that beat against them like some unseen monster. They sheltered among some trees, long since stripped of leaves and small branches and so looking rather sad and foreboding. There were also a few pointed lumps of granite dotted around the trees like deformed teeth, they seemed to be the only things that offered protection in the area. They managed to maintain a small fire but what little warmth it had to offer was quickly swept away by the frigid wind.

Despite this Carl still climbed the sad twiggy thing that passed for a tree to rest, although on a much lower branch then before.

"When do you think the storm will stop?" Cloud shouted into the wind

"Soon the sky is clearing over there!"

Carl called down to Cloud. Cloud looked up at him

"Why don't you come down from there? You might get swept off by this wind! I can't relax with that thought on my head!"

Carl briefly inclined his head then jumped down from the tree, landing neatly without slipping, in front of Cloud. He glanced at Tifa who was wrapped tightly in his clothes, hunched beside a rock to keep warm. The wind began to calm down and soon the storm blew itself out, like a candle, and with it the light since the sun had already set. Carl had sat totally motionless a small way from the group, an intense look on his face as if pondering the very meaning of life, as a result a mound of snow had built up around him, half burying him. He stood up and shook generous amounts of snow from his lavender hair and clothes.

He caught Vincent looking at him from a distance and quickly looked away, uncomfortable with the attention. He too had detached himself from the group, his cloak and occasional movements, keeping most of the snow off him though his hair was now frosty and white. Carl surveyed the group and quickly assessed they would be unable to go on, he sighed and sat down brushing snow out of his pockets. He heard laughter and saw Tifa smiling at him.

"What?" he asked, looking confused

"You look like a snowman!"

He examined himself more closely, it was a fair comment; he was covered in thick white snow despite how he shook himself. It was okay though, he could take the cold. He heard a noise behind the group, sense prickling to an unseen danger, and stood up. Cloud caught the action, his own instincts telling him to move, and stood up just in time to see the sword appear out of the dark. A cloaked figure was holding it poised to strike Cloud in his side, Cloud froze, a remnant?

"Hand over your money and medical supplies!" came a muffled voice, male.

"You got to be kidding me..."

"Do it! Or I'll run you through!"

Carl approached and the figure brought the sword dangerously close to Cloud's side, a wound there would be fatal, not to mention painful.

"Peace…" Carl said simply holding his hands up to indicate he was unarmed, not that meant he wasnt dangerous "please let him go."

"No! The money and the supplies!"

"Okay, okay just don't hurt Cloud!"

Tifa cried out, she stood up and brought something towards the figure. Cloud winked at Carl discretely and Carl suddenly knew what they were planning, the fools! They were going to try and take this man on, but Carl could tell whoever was beneath that hood would kill Cloud purely out of shock, they were inexperienced, he could practically smell the desperation. Tifa got close enough to the figure to strike. She pretended to pass something to him then tried to punch him. The figure stepped back, ducking out of reach then threw all his weight forward, thrusting the sword toward Tifa in a fluid motion. Tifa saw the danger milliseconds too late to avoid it.

"No!" Carl yelled.

There was a soft splashing noise and she gasped as she saw the sword go in, blood coating the blade. It had gone straight through Carl, poking out of his back like a bloody shark fin, his blood running down the blade and over the inexperienced fingers wielding it. The hands on the sword trembled and the cloak figure remain motionless, Carl didn't stagger or make a move, just stood and stared. The silence was broken as Cloud roared in anger and brought his sword down toward the figure, an act of pure rage. Carl moved his arm quickly and caught the huge blade before it could make contact with the figure. Everyone gasped; he had caught the sword. With. His. Hand.

"No Cloud." Carl said quietly.

"Carl?"

Carl ignored Cloud and continued to hold the sword above him, a small dribble of blood leaked down his arm from where the blade had cut into his palm. He looked at the cloaked figure emotionlessly, who seemed to have frozen to the spot.

"What did it feel like?" his voice was calm, too calm for the situation at hand.

The figure looked up uncertain.

"What did it feel like to kill someone?"

"…"

"I'm betting it didn't feel good."

Carl reached out a hand and pulled down the stranger's hood so everyone could see the tearstained face of a teenage boy underneath. The boy bowed and dropped to his knees, leaving the sword where it was.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't actually going to do it. It was all too fast!"

"I understand…"

"You what?"

"Your sister is sick, you need the money and there isn't anyone else because your parents died. I understand."

"How? How do you-"

"it doesn't matter how I know" Carl said with a hint of aggression. Then he regarded him strangely his breath condensing in the air in front of him so it looked like he was breathing smoke.

"I want you to go home and never try anything like this EVER again."

"Yes sir."

The boy went to leave but Carl caught his arm with his free hand, staring down into his eyes and squeezing his arm till the boy winced, then with a slight growl.

"I'll know if you do, and make sure you regret it."

"Y Y Ye wont s s sir!" the boy tried to back away but he was still being held firmly by Carl.

"Take this for your sister..." he handed over a small amount of Gil.

"Th-th-th-thank you sir!"

"And if you ever do something like this again" he squeezed the boys arm till he cried out. "remember that pain, remember what you have done and remember your parents are watching you, even now." he threw the boy away from him "get out of my sight."

The boy didn't need to be told twice.

He watched the boy disappear into the surreally white landscape, he could feel the eyes of the party on him. After a few seconds more he let go of Clouds sword and pulled the boys out of his stomach, blood splashed across the snow painting it red and Carl grunted as he finally removed the entire length, gasping slightly. He took a wonky few steps away from the group and crumpled in the snow, they all rushed to his aid. Tifa took a cure materia but Carl's eyes went wide

"No, no cure materia no potions!"

Tifa withdrew shocked by Carl's shout. Carl looked over his shoulder.

"Cloud, Vincent I need you to step away, the JENOVA inside you prevents me from healing."

Vincent immediately took several paces back and after slight hesitation Cloud followed suit. Immediately the tell-tale glow of a tendril of lifestream appeared, touching against the wound, the wound healed without leaving a scar. The faint green glow of Lifestream vanished into the skin of the site of the wound. Carl took a moment then stood unaided and looked at his staring audience, before anyone could stop him he had ran up the tree and disappeared among its sparse branches.

Standing at a distance Tifa was able to see him sitting with his head on his knees on one of the highest branches. Everyone was simply staring after him, after a seconds thought she started toward the tree and began to climb. No one stopped her or hindered her but the trunk was slippery and the climb was perilous. She looked down when she had got more then half way, she had to hug the trunk of the tree so she didn't fall. How had Carl managed to get up here so fast? Finally she found the branch that Carl was sitting on. He looked up but she had to ignore him briefly so she could get her bearings, fortunately it wasnt half as windy as before. Still... She clutched the trunk of the tree with all her might as the wind threatened to sweep her off. She saw that he still had the sword. Not only had he climbed up here in five seconds flat; he had done it with his hands full.

"Carl come down!"

"What are you doing up here?"

"Getting you down!"

"Why? I don't want to talk about it!"

"That's okay but it's dangerous up here."

"Not for me."

"Will you just get out of this-" Tifa lost her footing and began to plummet toward the ground "TREE!"

Carl dived from his perch like a kingfisher catching a fish, and grabbed her around the waist. He caught a branch in his hand but it snapped, the wood too brittle with the cold to bear weight. He continued to snap branches until he landed both feet together on one of the lowest catching hold of another branch for balance. He jumped to the ground and stood her on her feet. He looked up to his previous perch and dusted himself off.

"Well… you got me out of the tree..."

"That wasn't the way I intended to do it I swear!"

"You really don't have a head for heights."

"Yeah well I'm a city girl, it isn't usually an issue..."

Carl looked at the group of people staring at him and his distracted good mood evaporated as he remembered what had happened. He sat down heavily and stared back at everyone, he was just now starting to feel the cold.

"I don't know what I'm meant to say."

"Well what about starting with healing yourself without magic or potions?"

"Right… well..." he made a noise like a growl of irritation "I can't say. I'm just… I'm not like you."

"We worked that much out..."

"Are you one of the undead? Healing materia and potions hurt the undead."

"No I'm a…" he closed his eyes and bowed his head, then in one breath he said "I'm one of the planet's WEAPONS."


	6. Chapter 6 The White Rose And The Tempest

Yuffie was having a very fun time destroying the new breed of remnants. They were real pushovers. Some were quick and some were slow but they were all very simple and unimaginative beasts. Yuffie hummed happily away looking around. She stopped humming, something wasn't right. She looked around but nothing looked suspicious; she carried on walking a tad more carefully and did not continue to hum. She looked up as she caught sight of a movement amongst the branches of a tall tree. She saw a pair of eyes peering through the canopy of leave

"I see you remnant!"

She jumped into the tree and quickly hopped up the branches to where she had seen the eyes. There was nothing there. She squatted and peered around, she was just about to give up and go down when a voice above her said

"Where is the remnant?"

She screeched and nearly fell out of the tree but the stranger grabbed her foot and pulled her up with apparent ease.

"You okay?"

Yuffie stared at the floor as she was held upside-down by her foot.

"No I am not let me go!"

"Oh… okay"

The stranger let go and Yuffie plummeted to the ground, landing painfully. The stranger hopped down and Yuffie nearly screamed. It was some weird monster. It had purple eyes and moogles ears and a purple pompom dangling from its head. It was a light lavender color and regarded her with its head cocked to one side. Yuffie couldn't find her voice as the stranger came within inches of her face.

"What type of creature are you?" the stranger asked peering closely at Yuffie

"I'm a human of course!"

"Oh a human, is that all?"

Yuffie wasn't entirely sure how to respond to this but she decided to show off a little.

"No that's not all I'm PRINCESS YUFFIE the single white rose of Wutai!"

"A princess wow and you're out here all by yourself… Wutai is a very long way away, what are you doing?"

"I'm on a top secret mission to save the planet"

"Really!? I'm saving the planet too, I'm hunting down remnants!"

"What you too?"

"Yep I was hanging out with my opposite Abbey but we got separated so I decided to hunt for the remnants all by myself and find Kitty I haven't seen him in a long time"

"You lost your cat?"

"Oh he isn't really a cat I just call him that because he hates it"

"Oh not the nickname type I know a guy like that"

"Abbey is more excepting about it but Cat-Foot I mean Kitty he hates it!"

She chortled then suddenly stopped

"What's wrong?"

"I made a mistake"

"Huh?" the stranger looked like she might cry then suddenly erupted with

"I was meant to introduce myself first. I'm so sorry PRINCESS YUFFIE I'm Tempest but my friends call me Sky"

"Oh well Sky, so how long have you been fighting remnants?"

"Me!? Years but… well this is the first time I have been all alone" Sky looked sad then smiled and said "hey do you think I could team up with you PRINCESS?"

"I don't know…"

"Oh please… I'll be your best friend"

"Well"

"Please! Oh please!

"Well okay I suppose you can join my team"

"Yay"

"So where do you think we should go?"

Sky scratched her head then in a clear light bulb moment said "I sense a remnant with a high concentration of JENOVA cells and I think I can feel Kitty so can we go that way?"

She pointed in the general direction of Midgar.

"Okay as long as there are remnants for me the Super Ninja-"

"And her sidekick!"

"Oh yeah and her sidekick, Sky. To fight then we will go anywhere to save the planet!"

"Yay"

"Come on then"

"Race ya"

"You're on"

**Ha-ha had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I'm in a super good mood because I got an A in my English Junior Cert.**

**Can anybody work out who Kitty slash Cat-Foot is? Put it into your review.**

**Oh and if you have read this far without reviewing then get to it even if the review just says hi I want to know who's reading. After all how will I know when I'm messing up? That's the end of this charming interlude next we will be back to all the seriousness. Dun, dun daah!**


	7. Chapter 7 The Outcast

"You're a what?"

"I am one of the WEAPONS of the planet"

Barret and Cloud looked skeptically at each other Vincent displayed no emotion and Cait Sith put both paws up to his robotic mouth and went

"Gosh"

Carl stared at them as if waiting for an attack.

"Aren't you a bit short for a WEAPON?"

"The WEAPONS you encountered previously were more fortified them me"

"I'll say"

"So all the WEAPONS have a job right? So what's yours?"

Carl paused as if considering

"I am to try and prevent human life from being destroyed"

Cait Sith pounded a fist into his palm and jumped up and down

"Oh so that's what you meant before. You said you didn't have a family"

"Yes"

"Why didn't you just tell us at the start?"

"What?"

"You could have told us!"

Carl blinked uncomprehendingly clearly not able to understand what she meant. Tifa softened.

"You didn't know how we would react… I'm sorry I yelled at you"

Carl continued to stare in wonder at the woman before him. Cloud step in drawing his attention.

"Before when I asked you what you were you said 'human for now' what did you mean by that?"

"I meant this body" he looked at Cloud "this body is human, well relatively speaking and it is the form I currently hold. However I am a WEAPON" he looks away and in an almost whisper says, "I am capable of terrible things"

"Why don't you transform and show us?"

"NO!"

Cait Sith ducked behind Nanaki

"Just a suggestion…"

Carl rubbed his head

"I'm sorry, I can't risk transforming… I become an entirely different person and I wouldn't recognize any of you as allies" he looks down "it would be horrible"

Tifa put a hand on his shoulder.

"we understand" she smiled "your doing a great job so far you've saved my life twice in as many minutes. Thank you"

That same uncomprehending stare, it was easy to believe he wasn't human but he looked so innocent like a child. He stood up slowly

"I should go"

"Wait your quitting on us?"

"You… you still want me around?"

"Yeah… why not? We've dealt with weirder stuff isn't that right Vincent?"

Vincent rolled his eyes at Barret and tried to look disapproving.

"Having a WEAPON on _our _side will be a nice change," Nanaki said slowly.

Tifa looked at Carl trying to determine if any of their words were getting through his apparent shock.

"Carl please stay with us. We want to help find the remnants and save the world"

"Okay"

"Huh?"

"Okay… I'll stay"

"Thank you Carl oh do you have a real name?"

"I'm sorry but _I_ don't have a name" Tifa ignored the strange emphasis "Carl is fine"

"Okay, I suppose I'm happy I gave you a glass of Carlsberg and not Jack Daniels"

"Ha yeah" he said sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck "I didn't think it was so obvious, I'm not really good at telling lies"

"So all this time you've been travelling alone?"

"Not at the start. At first we were all together"

"Uh we?"

Carl half looked at Cloud.

"Surely you have learnt that it is rare for only one WEAPON to be summoned? In the beginning there were lots of us so we could search the whole globe for remnants. That's why we held out for so long but then" he sighed and rubbed his head "Avarice… and a few others, she, they… turned them all against the cause it is there strong belief that human kind should be destroyed"

"But isn't she like you? Part human"

"No she is part dragon like most WEAPONS I'm the only living one that is part human. Avarice is my opposite"

"Do you all have opposites?"

"Yes all WEAPONS have a balance that is maintained Chaos and Omega are a good and recent example"

"So Avarice wants man kind destroyed shouldn't we be finding her?"

"Unfortunately it is not that simple; you see she can't act on her murderous feelings until the planet says all hope is lost for humanity. Also she would kill us all in seconds, in this weak human form I wouldn't be able to kill her and the alternative could be even more ghastly"

"Well what do we do if we bump into her?"

"if we appear as a group she will attack, I don't imagine we could out run her… it would depend on the situation" he leant back in the snow "in nine out of ten situations we would be dead"

"Okay so bumping into Avarice not a good idea got it"

Carl looked toward the mountains again.

"The disturbance… something new was just created"

"What do you mean?" (Cloud)

"How do you know?" (Barret)

"Where?" (Tifa)

"Hmm" (Vincent)

"Oh no!" (Cait Sith)

Carl stood up and looked wearily at the mountain. He whispers something nobody catches then repeats slightly louder

"It feels like Sephiroth"

At that point a giant purple light illuminates the hillside and rocks start falling down it causing a large cloud of dust. Carl sits and stares then puts his head in his hands. Tifa touches his shoulder

"What's wrong?"

"Death… a WEAPON has just been destroyed"

"Was it Avarice?"

"No… Arabesque"

He fell on his side breathing heavily.

"Carl! What's wrong? What can we do?"

"I'm okay…" he grunted "I'll be fine"

He slowly pulls himself onto all fours then sits and puts two fingers against his forehead. He looks at the questioning expressions on his allies' faces. He began to explain despite the pounding in his head.

"When WEAPONS of the same group die their memories are shared with other WEAPONS also we change slightly to restore the balance" he groans and buries his hand on the ground closing his eyes tightly. "It wasn't Sephiroth. It was three powerful remnants"

"What's happening to you?"

"Arabesque's memories, urg"

"What can we do?"

"Nothing" he still had his eyes tightly shut "I'm sorry there is nothing you can do just" he groans again both hands on the ground now. Tifa went to put a hand on his shoulder but stopped as his eyes flew open. His usual dark purple eyes were glowing ultra-violet he gritted his teeth together. A growl escaped from between his jaws

"Just get away from me" he snarled at them. Nanaki dived in front of Tifa and growled back.

"Nanaki what are you doing!?"

"Improvising! Now get back"

The ultra-violet eyes followed Nanaki's movements with ease but Carl didn't move. Nanaki stopped moving when it became obvious that he wasn't going to attack

"Carl?"

Slowly he turned his head toward Tifa then continued to stare blankly. Cloud stepped forward to protect Tifa. Carl's eyes widened and he stared for a few seconds then put up a hand and choked

"Back, get back" Cloud hastily stepped away and Carl scrunched up his eyes "just stay back"

His voice was returning to normal but still contained a snarl. After a second or so he opened his eyes and the team was relieved to see them back to their dark purple color.

"Is it you again Carl?"

He nodded and Tifa crouched beside him and resisted the urge to put a hand on his head to check his temperature.

"Is there anything you need? Water? Food?"

He shook his head

"What's up? You can't talk now?"

Carl vaguely looked at Barret and whispered

"It hurts"

He turned his head slightly; he felt a blanket get dropped over his shoulders by Vincent. He barely registered the movement he seems to have frozen staring at a patch of snow about three feet ahead of him.

"Is it usually this painful?" he shook his head slightly "it's happened before?"

He raised three fingers without blinking.

"Why was it so bad this time?"

There was a small silence Carl croaked

"Because I was fighting not to change"

"Why?"

He shook his head "it would make me transform"

He lay back in the snow staring up "tired" he fought to keep his eyes open but soon succumbed to sleep.

Tifa looked down at him

"I think he passed out" she looked at the thick snow surrounding him "we should move him closer to the fire"

Barret nodded and pulled Carl up

"Geez this guy is heavy" he wheezed

He put him down next to the fire.

"We can't give him potions or treat him with our materia what should we do?"

"Well for start I think we should keep Cloud and Vincent away from him. Sorry lads but you seem to hurt him we should just settled down for the night we will be in Kalm by tomorrow"

"Hey guys look"

Cloud pointed, in the surrounding trees and area birds, wyverns and wild fangs had settled around the clearing facing out. They were forming a protective circle around the group. Two shaggy Fenrir wolves entered the camp and growled menacingly. They paced forward ignoring the party and settled on either side of Carl. They watched the party unblinkingly growling when ever anyone moved toward them.

"Wow there like guarding him"

"Hmm it would seem they know about his condition. They don't trust us but we haven't moved to hurt him so they aren't interested" Vincent crossed his arms and regarded the wolves "it would seem we are safe as long as we leave them alone"

"Do you think he knows about you Vincent?"

"It is hard to say… he can sense JENOVA why not other WEAPONS?"

"How do we know he isn't going to flip out and try and kill us?"

Vincent looked at Barret calmly.

"You don't know… anymore then you know I won't transform and kill you"

"Vincent it's different for you, you have the proto-materia you can control it better"

Vincent remained silent staring pensively into the fire. Finally he said

"I'll take tonight's watch the rest of you need some sleep"

Everyone settled down to sleep huddling close together because of the cold and all the monsters around them. Vincent waited until they had all gone to sleep then mentally prodded Chaos…


	8. Chapter 8 Chaos And Fury

**It came to my attention that when I was about to write yay '300' visitors to chapter one' I looked back and now it is '328'. I hope you all like this next chapter and please please please leave me a review. I love them and I feel happy for the rest of the day and empowered to write more... you want more right? Then review bwahahahaa *cough wheeze* Sky looks up and hugs saster123's legs 'your ill! No to bed go!'**

**wah?**

**Sky lifts saster by foot and drags her kicking and screaming upstairs to bed.**

**heard from halway in a scream**

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

**What is it human?**

_Chaos what do you make of this?_

**You will have to be more specific.**

_What do you make of this WEAPON? Should we trust him?_

**I never trust mutts like that but since he is part human I suppose you can.**

What do you mean 'mutt'?

**He isn't pure, he was mixed with humans he is a Halfling no wonder he is alone.**

_Is what he said true about when WEAPONS die?_

**Probably**

_Probably?_

**It wouldn't apply to me… I'm a counter balance for Omega opposites don't mix**

_So if you opposite died it wouldn't change you and you wouldn't get any memories._

**No, not that Omega would have any a such it really is more of a vessel then a real entity.**

_Have you ever heard of Avarice?_

**Ha yes I have heard of her only once before, she is a beautiful goddess of destruction known for causing pain to any creature she kills. While I would purge this world of tainted life stream for Omega she would simply eradicate entire species that negatively affect the world.**

_Have you ever actually met her?_

**No… she is free to roam the world I am confined to end times and of course you.**

_What do you know about this WEAPON? (_Indicating Carl)

**I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise… speak of the devil, he is waking up.**

Chaos withdrew leaving Vincent to look over at the stirring figure.

Carl sat up and looked around groggily. The Fenrir wolves whined softly and he petted them on their noses. He looked over and saw Vincent.

"How long was I out?"

"Almost five hours"

Carl came and sat down next to Vincent who raised an eyebrow.

"Don't the JENOVA cells bother you?"

"I can tolerate them, your levels aren't as high as Cloud's and besides Chaos is the dominate force within you the cells wont hurt affect me so long as I don't need to heal"

"So you did know about Chaos…"

"Yes I could sense him and other strange creatures inside you"

"…"

"You're one of Hojo's victims aren't you?"

"You knew him?"

Carl scratched his head

"I don't know I might have met him or maybe my memory is confused"

"What do you mean?"

"When I touch people sometimes I get stray memories and I can hear the voices of the ones they loved in the Lifestream. It can be confusing sometimes especially when it comes to people"

"I see… you were right I was one of Hojo's victims"

"Only he would combine monsters and WEAPONS inside a human. That man has caused so much pain to the planet…"

"… yes and its people"

Carl looked at Vincent who was staring into the embers of the fire.

"I'm guessing you're not just talking about physical pain"

"No"

"I don't know whose memories mine are but… Hojo was a monster" Carl put a hand over his face "sometimes I can here the screams"

Vincent watched him from the corner of his eye.

"What happens to you when this is over?"

"What do you mean?"

"Will you return to the planet?"

"It's hard to tell maybe I'll just disappear…"

"And you're okay with that?"

"My emotions are irrelevant everyone dies eventually"

Vincent made a noise that was halfway between a thoughtful 'huh' and a laugh.

"I wouldn't be so sure"

Carl looked at him closely

"I see you're an immortal because Chaos is resting inside you"

"They say every rule has an exception"

"Is there an exception to that rule?" Carl laughs then stops looking back the way they had come "you know why they called it Midgar?"

Vincent shook his head.

"In Norse mythology the middle world was Midgard, Midgar was the start of all this pain and suffering. The first time this planet was cleansed it was because the beings were digging too deeply into the earth… I believe the planet has built up more tolerance for humans then before"

"I wonder why"

"Because of people like you, people who care about other people. They have pride and honor and…"

Carl touches his head and frowns.

"Zack Fair"

"…!?"

"That's whose memories they are"

"He is dead"

"Yes… it is strange; I don't think I ever met him"

He suddenly looked up and glanced at Cloud he turned away a spat on the ground.

"Cursed JENOVA trying to manipulate me"

"How do you know?"

"I never touched anyone called Zack Fair but him" he gestured at Cloud "he must have knew him JENOVA is trying to confuse my memories but why?"

He got up and started pacing which agitated the Fenrir wolves.

"What were we talking about? I remember and I said…" he stopped dead the wolves that had started following him sat down behind him. "Of course…"

"What?"

"I said Hojo was a monster… I felt hate toward him but it was Zack's hatred not mine" he turned and began to pace again "JENOVA is trying to make me hate humans! But why?"


	9. Chapter 9 I Hear Dead People

**seersword your plentiful reviews are appreciated and i have read them all and will reply when my megabyte allowance is upped a bit. haha oh and sorry vincent is being open. he has developed since doc thats my excuse courtesy of outskirts-of-nowhere.**

"Why? Why? Why? What does JENOVA gain?"

Carl was passing very quickly in front of Vincent; the wolves had given up trying to follow him and sat behind him watching him go past.

"Urg. I hate this! It is so frustrating! Why would she try and manipulate me? What will she gain from human extinction?"

Carl grunted and doubled over collapsing to the ground, the wolves sniffed him whimpering.

"Are you okay?"

Vincent repositioned himself to face Carl. Carl nodded

"Yeah… just let myself get too worked up"

"Maybe _that _is JENOVA'S plan"

"What?"

"Get a reaction out of you, you transform kill everyone here or get killed… either way would work out well for JENOVA"

"Do you think it could really be so simple?"

"I hope so"

"Hope… I hope I never loose mine like Avarice and the others"

"Your part human… all we have is hope"

"You make a lot of sense Vincent"

He sat up and rubbed his head. He looked at Vincent then down at the snow.

"I have a favor to ask"

Vincent looked at him with mild curiosity but Carl didn't look back, instead he looked at Tifa's sleeping form.

"I don't want to hurt anyone" he looked at Vincent and so did the wolves on either side of him. He sighed "I'm only asking you because I think you are the only one who would be able too"

"What is it?"

"If I ever loose my hope… if I ever turn into a monster like Avarice please… I want you to kill me"

Vincent silently regarded him then stared into the embers of the fire.

"I can't promise I will kill you… however I will remember what you have said" he looked at Carl "and if that time comes… I will do what I think is right"

"I suppose I couldn't ask for more… I trust we can keep this conversation between us?"

Vincent nodded and poked the fire with a stick sending a whoosh of sparks into the air.

"How did you deal with it?"

Vincent looked up again to see Carl tracing a finger through the snow.

"Deal with what?"

"What Hojo did to you"

Vincent looked at the sparks. Up this close they were like tiny fireflies.

"Badly… I slept in a coffin for thirty years"

"…Did it help?"

"Honestly? No not really"

"He took someone from you didn't he?"

Vincent nodded placidly and after a short pause said.

"Her name was Lucrecia… To be honest I'm not sure if she is dead or alive anymore"

"Oh?"

"She was… Sephiroth's mother"

"I see"

There was a silence broken only by the crackle of the fire.

"I could find out…"

"How?"

"Like I said before when people touch me the one's they held dear, the dead I can hear them. If Lucrecia is alive I won't be able to hear her if not then I can convey anything she has to say"

Vincent stared mouth open slightly.

"Why would you do that for me?"

Carl smiled to himself.

"I've had this power for so long and only ever viewed it as a curse if it can do some good to someone then I will be happy. I was brought into this world with an inadequate knowledge of emotion. Love, loyalty I don't understand them and perhaps that is a good thing after all I am a WEAPON… a gun doesn't need emotion… but sometimes I fool myself into thinking like the rest of the human race. I think that is what's happening now… I feel… sorry? I want to help" Carl caught sight of Vincent's face and turned away "I probably sound foolish I just thought I would offer"

"We are all born without knowledge of emotion it is something we learn… something we experience. Thank you… I would like to try it"

Carl stared for a second then nodded. He put out his hand and Vincent pulled off his gauntlet. Carl gently put his hand on top and forced himself not to recoil as the voices started. He could only stand it for a couple of seconds before taking his hand away. He gasped seeing images fly by in front of his eyes. People, places the feel of a suit. Turks, Shinra manufacturing turning into Shinra electric power company. Planets pulse, Lucrecia Crescent, Hojo, Grimoire Valentine. Experiments, pain-fear-hate-despair-loyalty-love-wrath. Vincent's voice brought him back into the moment.

"Are you all right?"

Genuine concern in his voice. Carl saw that he was shaking, he couldn't stop.

"Yes just not used to so many conflicting emotions"

He took a few calming breathes and waited till he stopped shaking. He took a deep breath and listened to the voices. He felt one voice trying to be heard, it was male and wormed its way into him.

"I'm proud of you son" he blurted before he could stop the words. Even to him they sounded distorted. He shut his eyes in an effort to close the voice off.

"Father?"

He felt it again stronger, encouraged by Vincent's recognition. He felt his mouth get forced open and decided to stop resisting.

"I'm sorry son; I left you alone in the world"

He didn't dare open his eyes but he could hear Vincent take a sharp intake of breath.

"Despite it all, you have done so much for the planet and I am proud to call you my son. My only regret is not being able to protect you and be there for you when you needed me"

"It… that's okay"

"It isn't but I love you for saying it. I'm sorry that my research caused us so much trouble"

"No father you had to provide for us the only way you knew how"

"But at what cost? My time is short… I'm glad I got to speak to you again"

Carl felt his muscles tighten into a smile.

"You may have had my eyes but you definitely have your mother's nose… I'm watching over you son"

The voice withdrew and Carl exhaled heavily as if breathing the spirit out of him. His heart was beating so hard he could see its movements through his clothes. He blinked a couple of times the firelight seeming too bright suddenly. His hands were shaking and he felt sharp pains running up and down his neck.

"That wasn't a nice feeling… I don't think that's ever happened before"

He looked at Vincent after a second he looked back at him.

"I'm sorry that mustn't have been comfortable for you"

He seemed to be thinking of something else.

"It's okay I let him in. it is just surprising that's all how strong he was… that was your father wasn't it?"

Vincent nodded Carl smiled.

"He must really love you to go to all this trouble"

Vincent didn't answer so Carl took a moment to force his breathing back to normal. It was easier said then done and his hands were still shaking.

"I didn't hear Lucrecia's voice I'm sorry… but that must mean she is still alive" he pressed a finger to his head "there is someone else… I don't think she was very close to you maybe an old friend she doesn't seem to have anything to say but I can feel her watching over you" he focused hard on the feeling closing his eyes and digging his right hand into the ground without even meaning to.

"Do you know who it is?"

Carl searched for the answer. The spirit giggled playfully

"Tell him it's the flower girl" she said.

Carl opened his eyes feeling drained.

"She said she was the flower girl, I hope that means something to you"

Vincent made expression that was close to a smile

"Aerith is still watching over us"

"So that was the Ancient"

Carl was beginning to feel very faint and lied on his side, one of the Fenrir wolves lay beside him and rested his head on his shoulder the other sat by his legs regarding Vincent with curiosity.

"They wont bite you… they just… wanted to make sure I was safe"

He stroked the head of the one on his shoulder "this is Élan and Stoic"

"You can talk to them"

"I can talk to all sentient life forms; humans aren't the only ones who will die if we fail"

"I didn't think they were sentient they look like beasts"

The wolf sitting by Carl's feet growled.

"Stoic disapproves of that remark and says humans are the only beasts that have hurt the planet"

"He can understand me?"

"Yes, he doesn't have the ability to speak like your friend Nanaki but he can understand you as well as I can. You should see that just because someone looks like a beast doesn't mean they are one"

"I suppose I should work on that flaw of mine… after all I should know that better than anyone"

"It's okay humans are naturally arrogant I don't think it is an entirely negative trait"

Carl was falling asleep.

"Are you sure you will be comfortable there?"

"You're talking to a guy who sleeps in a tree"

"Point taken"

"You could get some sleep too you know, they won't attack us"

He was referring to the circle of monsters around them.

"That's okay I don't sleep that much anymore"

"I can't say I'm surprised"

When Vincent looked back at him a second later he was already asleep. Élan stared at him from over Carl's shoulder.

"You two can't sleep either…"

"Vincent? Are you talking to the wolves?"

He looked over his shoulder to see Tifa sitting up.

"Just making small talk"

She stared at him as if deciding if he were joking. She smiled.

"Figures! You barely talk to people but you'll sit down and make small talk with a wolf"

Stoic made a noise which to Vincent sounded like laughter, Tifa stared

"It's like they can understand us"

"How do you know they can't?"

"You know… I never thought of that"

She stared quietly at Carl.

"I can't imagine what it must be like for him I wish I could do more to help him"

"I think your kindness and understanding is the best gift he could receive" she looked at him but he was staring off into space.

"Are you okay Vincent? You have that look you used to have before we fought Sephiroth"

"…you should go back to sleep Tifa it is only a few hours till daylight"

She peered at him trying to decipher what he was thinking. For the first time she saw that he had taken his gauntlet off but decided not to comment on it.

"Okay Vincent… if something is troubling you… you know you can tell me, right?"

He turned his head slightly but didn't say anything and she didn't pressure him Vincent had his reasons for acting like he did. She settled down and watched him admiring his ability to stay perfectly still. Tomorrow they would reach Kalm and restock on supplies and fight off the remnants that Carl had sensed before then she supposed they would have to fight the three remnants. She looked at Carl and wondered if WEAPONS had dreams.

**That line just makes me think of a poem where it says 'do androids dream of electric sheep' ha just thought I would confirm that I'm doing as the ostrich do (tweet tweet tweet tweet twoo) and burying my head in the sand when it comes to the whole Vincent loosing chaos ordeal. Vincent and chaos are like bangers and mash so I wont have one without the other.**


	10. Chapter 10 Kalm Before The Storm

When Tifa woke up the monsters and the wolves were gone. Vincent still sat quietly by the fire.

"Where's Carl?"

He looked up

"he went to see if he could catch some chocoboes, apparently he heard them moving around last night"

She nodded and looked around it was still early morning and no one else was up. She unpacked some of the supplies and started making breakfast. Like Carl, Vincent rarely ate with them but she still offered him some out of habit. Predictably he declined. By the time everyone was awake, Carl had just arrived back with a small flock of black chocoboes. One nipped him affectionately and he stroked it. They weren't tethered and he didn't have any greens so it was a pretty amazing sight.

Cloud was sitting cross legged eating his food when one of the smaller chocoboes crept up behind him and eyed his hair with childlike fascination. After a few seconds of watching it pecked his head. This caused the startled blond to jump up and drop the rest of his breakfast. The chocobo continued to follow him round making everyone laugh. Carl smiled and tutted at the chocobo who immediately walked over

"Wark wark"

Carl smiled and wagged his finger in front of the birds face. It looked guiltily down and pecked at the floor then gave a solemn 'wark' of agreement. It looked at Cloud who had taken refuge behind Barret, it made a soft warbling noise to indicate it was sorry.

"Man Carl, you're the chocobo whisperer"

Without further delay they rode toward Kalm. There journey took less then an hour. The birds dropped them outside of town and then ran away leaving a cloud of dust behind them. Tifa gave Carl back his coat and he thanked her and eagerly put it on pulling his hood up. He didn't want to draw to much attention to himself. Tifa stocked up on supplies. It was getting close to midday when Carl noticed the first one. He froze, it was squatting like a gargoyle about thirteen feet above Tifa and a shop keeper. Even from here he could see its long lolling tongue. He watched it carefully as it crouched lower readying to spring. The remnant pounced and Carl hurtled into it. The shop keeper and Tifa looked up in time to see the two sail through the air. The remnant snarled and tried to bite Carl's throat. They rolled over till Carl was on top but the remnant flung him clear. He had a soft landing in a vegetable patch. He sprang up but not before the remnant had leapt at him. It looked like a fatal mistake but Carl flung his arm wide. The remnant bit down on his spiked armor and found itself stuck. In one fluid motion Carl snapped its neck and dropped it. The remnant's hood fell back revealing a hairless dog like face. After a few seconds it returned to the Lifestream and tiny traces of tainted Lifestream were burned away. At some point during the battle Carl's hood had fallen down so he quickly pulled it up and looked around. He had a cut on his face probably inflicted by a stray claw. He could feel it sealing up and tried to hide his face in the shadows while it did so.

"You saved us! You were amazing"

"Don't thank me yet, there are two more close by" he looked around "Tifa where did Cloud go?"

"I think he went to the bar"

"His cells, they are drawing the remnants… the people there will be in danger"

Carl sprinted across town and sure enough saw one of the remnants moving shakily along. Without hesitation he brought it down. The element of surprise served him well because the remnant collapsed under him without much fight. He looked left and right and heard gunshots. He turned and ran toward the sound; he arrived just in time to see the remnant fall. Vincent holstered his gun and turned to face Carl.

"Are there any more?"

"No that was the last one"

"You have blood on your face"

Carl swept a hand across his face in an attempt to clean it.

"We better get back to Tifa I left her with the shop keeper"

Vincent nodded and they found here around the next bend waiting for them.

"You two are okay?" they nodded "The inn keeper is letting us stay for free thanks to Carl's little street performance. You guys get over there we have what we needed I'm going to tell the others"

"Okay Tifa"

They waited in the inn up in their room, it was nice Carl found an elixir in one of the wardrobes (granted he had to kick it quite hard to get it down) he put it on the side. He decided to have a shower because he could feel the dirt from the vegetable patch in his hair. It felt good to have a shower, he studied his reflection with a detached interest; he looked tired despite his long rest. Briefly he was reminded of the boy in his dream but quickly distracted himself. Stupid dream, or was it a nightmare? That would probably be closer to the truth. He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist. He stepped out of the bathroom and picked up his shirt which he had laid on the bed. He put his hand through the hole in the fabric. Sighing he found his needle and thread in his coat pocket. He slipped his trousers on and started sewing his clothes back together. Someone opened the door he turned. It was Tifa, she averted her gaze in clear surprise and Carl saw a slight blush.

"Sorry Carl I didn't know you were in here"

"That's fine"

Tifa looked down at his hands.

"Where did you learn to sew?"

He stopped for a second thinking about it.

"An old woman I met once before, she collapsed on me and I didn't have my gloves on. I learnt from her memories"

Tifa looked at him sadly knowing he was remembering the women's past, she examined his back. Tifa didn't know if she should call them scars or tattoos, all the way down his back were complex patterns that were raised slightly. If they had been acquired in battle or otherwise then they must have been very painful. Under closer inspection she saw the scar caused by the boy's sword. It was tiny and had already started to fade. Carl's ability to heal was astounding she hadn't ever seen anything like it before. Carl bit the thread and tied the knot, then slipped his shirt on blocking the patterns from Tifa's view.

"I found an elixir I put it on the bedside table"

"I'll put it in with our stuff. The others are downstairs they want to know the next plan of action"

"Okay I'll go talk to them"

Carl put his coat on and tucked his needle and thread into a case in his pocket.

He discussed the plan in few words, he was still uncomfortable talking in front of crowds. They would head toward the mountains where the last WEAPON had been killed and look for clues as to what had happened after that. The memories Carl had received were not complete, they had been shared with the other WEAPONS he did however know that the WEAPON had been chasing three remnants and they had attacked from behind and collapsed the side of the mountain on her. If he hadn't resisted the transformation he would have had a clearer picture but he didn't regret his decision. He tried to sleep in the bed but couldn't, he wasn't used to such creature comforts. Instead he stared at the ceiling examining some of Vincent's memories. For the first time he wondered if humans deserved to be saved…


	11. Chapter 11 Test Of Resolve

**If you are faint hearted you might want to skip this chapter, it has the possibility of being emotionally scarring especially if you are fond of Carl…**

They had set off early that morning fortunately the snow had ceased falling though it had yet to melt but it was easier to walk in. Carl had been particularly silent brooding about something. They were making good time and no monsters had attacked them. Tifa decided this was because monsters seemed to like him. They stopped for a break about three hours into their walk. Carl sat cross-legged at the base of a tree his eyes closed, he'd had the dream again… maybe Vincent's memories had triggered them again. Tifa heated some soup she had purchased the day before. She offered some to Carl but he shook his head.

"Do you just not eat at all?"

Carl looked at her as if he had just woken up. He blinked a few times looking startled by the question.

"No… I _can _eat but I don't have to"

"Well good because I was starting to worry you didn't like my cooking"

She smiled but the joke was lost on Carl who simply thought of food as fuel and didn't have time for likes and dislikes when it came to the subject. They were just repacking their equipment when they heard the noise. It started off as a howl but was cut short and loud yelping noises echoed through the air. Carl sprang to his feet panic in his features.

"Élan! Stoic!"

He shouted. The yelps continued then silence. Carl had taken off before anyone could stop him, proving just how much faster he was then the rest of them. He was off like a racing chocobo. Tifa called after him and tried to follow but Vincent stopped her.

"Stay with the group I'll go after him"

Vincent ran after Carl his altered body far faster then a normal human's.

Carl nearly fell at the sight before his eyes. Three men holding guns pointed at poor Élan ruined but still living body.

"What do you want?"

Carl was too shocked to reply he staggered and leant against a tree. The hunters carried about their business a knife appeared in one's hand and he approached Élan's broken body. Carl saw what he planned to do and leapt at the man wrestling his knife away.

"You murderer!" he screamed and shook the man as he felt his head pounding and his muscles tensing and fought the feeling rising inside. But it was too hard; he struggled against it loosing ground.

"Why? He was my friend!" one hunter approached him but he screamed at the man to get away. He was reaching a point of near incoherence. Another hunter approached Élan and was sent flying backwards by Carl's fist. The hunters pulled their guns and pointed them at Carl but he didn't care. A gunshot rang out and the hunters all looked away. He heard voices then the hunters stepped back. He felt someone crouch beside him.

"Carl? Can you here me?"

It was Vincent.

"Just get them away from me please"

He knew his body had altered slightly he could barely see his vision was so clouded but he heard Vincent scaring the hunters away. His whole body was shaking but he hugged Élan's head feeling tears falling from his eyes. Alien thoughts started to invade his mind as he fell deeper into his despair. A sudden pain in his arm caused him to open his eyes. Vincent looked at Carl placidly despite his glowing ultra-violet eyes streaked with tears. He squeezed tighter on Carl's arm. It hurt but it kept Carl from transforming it gave him something to focus on instead of his grief.

"Don't give up Carl"

Carl still wasn't fully himself thoughts crossed his mind on how best to kill Vincent then track those hunters. He looked into Vincent's eyes intent to snarl but something caught him off guard. The sadness and understanding in Vincent's eyes a wash of memories belonging to Vincent came into his mind his grief his sadness. He felt another sensation. Love the love that Vincent had given to Lucrecia the hurt the anger everything Carl was feeling now except one thing. Forgiveness, he felt the transformation stop his emotions spent. He let out a choked sob and buried his face in Élan's fur. Vincent let go of his arm but continued to stare at Carl. Élan whined gently and licked Carl's face. He was suffering and Carl knew it. He had to put him out of his misery but the pain he felt in his heart was just too much to bear. Élan watched him silently begging for what he knew had to come. Vincent watched as Carl lifted one of his hands that now had long talons on the end due to his transformation. He reached around Élan's neck.

"Forgive me my friend"

He drew the talon across his neck. For a split second Élan's eyes widened then relax and went dead. Carl stared as the corpse evaporated. Pieces of Lifestream darted around him like tiny fish, Élan's final goodbye. Carl stared into his lap with a totally dead expression. His world had been turned on its head. Vincent gripped his shoulder he turned his head toward him. His eyes were back to their usual dark purple but this for some reason just made Carl look more hopeless.

"Come on"

Carl barely registered the words

"Why?"

"We have to find Stoic he could be injured nearby"

Carl buried his despair in place of panic. He stood up too quickly and because his body was a little bit into a transformation became light headed and staggered. Vincent looked at Carl, apart from the talons and the fact he had grown six inches he looked almost normal. They searched for a long time until finally they found Stoic. He was lying in a pool of blood that oozed from a wound in his shoulder. Carl knelt beside him and listened to his whimpers. He looked at the wound.

"The bullet is still inside" he took off his coat and turned to Vincent "I'm going to take it out. His natural reflex will be to struggle I need you to hold him down"

Vincent held the wolf down and Carl whispered to Stoic.

"Don't worry I'm going to fix this. It is going to hurt but try not to struggle" the wolf remained silent but closed its eyes. Carl inhaled sharply steadying himself. He raised his hand and plunged his talons into the wound. Immediately the wolf started to struggle. Carl pulled the bullet out the grabbed his coat and put it over the wound to stop the flow of blood.

"Vincent I need you to step back"

Vincent stepped away and watched Carl close his eyes. Light circled Carl coming out of his chest. It twisted around in the air like tissue paper then plunged into Stoic. The wolf went stiff and after a few second the light disappeared. Carl opened his eyes and moved his coat. The wound was gone and Stoic sat up. Carl remained kneeling and Stoic whimpered Vincent saw a tear trek down Carl's face.

"No I didn't it was too late"

He threw both his arms around Stoic's neck and the wolf lean against him. They sat in that pose for a long time then Stoic howled long and low. A dirge for their fallen friend. Vincent let him mourn a while longer then gently said

"The others will be worried"

Carl didn't move just stared into his lap finally he removed his hands from around Stoic's neck.

Vincent looked at him worriedly.

"What do you want to do?"

Carl stirred slightly then growled

"Right now I want to wring the necks of those hunters then destroy their families and burn their homes to the ground"

Vincent looked at him and waited for him to continue. When nothing happened he said.

"Sounds reasonable" Carl looked at him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "But somehow I don't think you want to kill humans and that this pain will pass"

Carl stayed silent then a hollow laugh escaped him.

"You know Vincent you sound so sure… It's disturbing"

Carl swallowed feeling dried up from all the tears. Slowly his body changed back to normal his talons shrinking into normal finger nails. He slumped forward. Vincent crouched beside him.

"I touched him when I punched him"

"One of the hunters?"

Carl nodded

"I think my glove is still on Élan" he looked down at his palm "no one precious to him has died… but his daughter… she is sick, he was told they would need medicine made from a Fenrir wolf's blood. He was only trying to save his daughters life and I stopped him. She will die without medical attention"

"So what do you want to do?"

"I… I want to save her"

"Do you know where she lives?"

Carl nodded and started walking Stoic whined after him but he told him to stay. They approached a small house. Vincent knocked on the door and a woman opened it

"Yes?"

"We heard you daughter was ill and my friend thinks he can heal her"

The women stepped aside and let them in. she stared at Carl who belatedly remembered he was drenched in wolf blood. The hunters all started for their guns when the saw him but he didn't even blink. He stared at them until they became uncertain and looked to each other for support. Vincent watched as Carl crouched beside the girl's bed.

"Hello my name is Carl what's yours?"

The little girl coughed then opened her eyes.

"My name is May"

"That is a pretty name. May I heard you were ill"

The little girl nodded

"My lungs won't breath properly but daddy went to get some medicine for me" one of the hunters looked down shame faced. Carl nodded and smiled at the little girl reassuringly.

"May, I want you to close your eyes and count to twenty then you can open them and shout as loud as you can"

"I can't shout very loud"

"That's okay just try your best. You ready?"

The little girl nodded and closed her eyes and started counting. The same energy as before came from Carl's body he put his hands on her chest and the power went threw them. After a few second he removed them and the power receded he waited for her to reach twenty then she shouted

"APPLE!"

She clamped both tiny hands over her mouth and looks amazed.

"Wow May I think that was pretty loud"

The girl stared at him then jumped out of bed and ran to her mother who was crying with joy. Carl got up and started toward the door.

"Wait!"

He froze and turned to face the hunter. A mixture of feeling snaked around inside him unpleasantly. He stared indifferently at the man.

"Thank you… you've saved my daughter how can I ever repay you?"

The hunter put his hand out, Carl stared at it and thought about all the ways he could inflict pain or kill him. The hunter picked up on the vibe as he looked at Carl's tear stained face. Carl looked at May then back at the hunter.

"Just look after her"

He walked out the door before he started to cry, he heard Vincent close it behind them. They walked in silence. Until they reached Stoic who had patiently waited for him. Carl stroked the wolf's shaggy head.

"Go home Stoic. Stay safe"

The wolf bowed its head and bounded away. Carl watched him till he was gone from view.

"Is this… forgiveness?"

Vincent came to his side and looked at him.

"It would seem so"

"Is it always this painful?"

"No not always you get used to it"

"We should get back to the group if we have any hope of killing these remnants"

"You still want to save the humans?"

"It seems that way. I think I understand it better now. Avarice… but at the same time… I know that humans deserve another chance"

Vincent nodded and they walked back to camp. Everyone had settled down for the night and had built camp. Carl couldn't look any of them in the eye. Tifa started when she saw all the blood on Carl but he made no effort to clean it off.

"What happened!?"

Carl looked up and shook his head then slowly turned and climbed a tree. He pulled himself onto a low branch and lay down his back to the rest of the group. Everyone looked at Vincent who solemnly shook his head and sat down by the fire. Using a little snow Vincent wiped some of the wolf blood off his gauntlet, most likely it was Stoics from when he held him down. A grave silence had fallen over the camp. Nanaki sniffed the air and Vincent saw from his expression that he had figured out whose blood it was. Carl lay still as if he had died up on the branch and watched the sun go down and the moon rise. From far away he heard a wolf howl a sad dirge for a fallen friend…


	12. Chapter 12 The Connecting Ache

Yuffie warmed her hands over the fire and toasted a few marsh-mellows.

"What's up with you Sky last time you scoffed all the marsh-mellows"

Sky looked down at her marsh-mellows that had remained untouched. She picked one up daintily and put it in her mouth.

"It's nothing"

"I wanna hear about! Tell me"

"I just have a bad feeling, like something terrible has happened or is going to happen"

Yuffie looked around then whispered

"Here?"

"No I don't think so"

Yuffie smiled contentedly eating another marsh-mellow.

"So tell me about this 'Kitty' character"

"Kitty? Well let's see… he is my older brother, he is a little shy and he hates tight spaces"

She started laughing

"What!? What?"

"This one time in Junon we got stuck in a lift and he… he climbed the wire to get out because he was freaking out so much"

"So he is one of those -me-call-its"

"Yep"

"So do you have any other brothers or sisters?"

"Oh yeah lots you see this scar" Sky turned slightly to reveal a long arrow shaped scar down her back. "My sister Avarice gave me that, years ago for talking too much, she was going to eat me but Kitty stopped her. Then they had a huge falling out and soon after that everyone went their separate ways. I'm not really sure what happened Kitty said that I was too young to understand and that I should just stick with Abbey"

"So this Avarice girl she doesn't like you?"

"Avee doesn't like anyone. She can be nice sometimes but when her eyes change colour watch out! She's out for blood. She is part dragon you know so she is all round scary and greedy"

"So when her eyes change colour… she like, is she… (Like Vincent?) Part demon or something"

"No it's because we're WEAPONS"

"!? Wah?"

"WEAPONS you know we look after the planet"

"But you can talk!"

"Well yeah we are Halflings, Avarice is in denial though she said since most WEAPONS are part dragon she is a pureblood and the rest of us are mutts"

"You're half WEAPON and half… Moogle"

"Kupo! That's right!"

"But… but aren't you sorta meant to go round destroying everything?"

"Not unless the planet says all hope is lost and even then I'm the healer of the group and the façade maker so I wouldn't fight"

"Okay your Halflings but… what does, why does her eye colour change and just huh?"

"Well ya see, because we are, you know able to talk and understand things we are all part of the life forms on the planet. It is our job to try and protect them see and get rid of JENOVA" she popped another marsh-mellow into her mouth then carried on talking "and that means we all get two personalities, one is a WEAPON and the other part whatever creature. Sometimes like Abbey someone is nicely down the middle but it's rare. But Avarice is nasty anyway especially to Kitty. She teases him when he is having nightmares, she is so mean!"

Yuffie looked at Sky and couldn't help but think of Marlene. Sky angrily ate two more marsh-mellows totally incensed by the memory of Avarice's indifference.

"So Kitty is your favorite brother?"

"yep but he says I'm really annoying which is mean but I know he likes me really because he always looks out for me and lets me fall asleep on his shoulder"

"So why do you call him Kitty?"

Sky giggled

"Well lots of reasons, he is really stealthy and if he doesn't want to be heard then he doesn't even make breathing noises and he has perfect balance. Then of course he spits when he is angry and sometimes he hisses. He just is so like a cat! Not that he would ever admit it and he can fall asleep anywhere!"

"Anywhere?"

"He falls asleep standing up or sometimes even walking"

"But… how does that even happen? Why doesn't he just fall over?"

"Like I said perfect balance"

Yuffie thought about it for a second then smiling says

"Like a cow" she looks at Sky a grin forming on her lips "do you think we will meet this kitty soon?"

"Oh yes, we are getting closer every day… why?"

Yuffie rubbed her hand together then said

"Are you familiar with the sport of 'cow tipping'?"

"…he would be really mad if you did that"

Sky smiled clearly excited by the thought.

"And you make façades?"

"Yep, otherwise I wouldn't fit in, in some places see"

A smoky fog appeared and in Sky's place a naked, long haired blond woman appeared with innocent brown eyes.

"That's amazing!" the smoke began to clear and Yuffie quickly put a hand up and closed her eyes

"Ack change back, I'm too young for all this!"

Promptly Sky changed back; Yuffie peered through a crack in between her fingers then lowered her hand.

"And you can do that to other people?"

"Yep easy"

"And you can choose what they look like?"

"Yep"

Yuffie cackled many a time she had been kicked out of a bar for being under aged but no more! With Sky at her side there was no limit. A sudden thought struck her.

"Do WEAPONS get drunk?"

Sky scratched an ear

"I don't know, never tried"

Marvelous plans began to order themselves in Yuffie's head. Vincent was always stoic and she hadn't seen him loose his composure. However is she could get Vincent drunk then maybe he would be a total party animal. She frowned as she remembered that Vincent seemed to be able to disappear at will and she had no idea where he was. Also how would she convince him to drink? The only thing she had ever seen him consume was a glass of red wine on occasion. Sky watched with interest as Yuffie frown as she began to think of a very elaborate plan to get the vampire drunk.

Sky stared out over the plain, struck once again with the uneasy feeling. Someone out there was in pain and she was starting to think it was another WEAPON. She listened but heard nothing from the planet except the noise of the people on it. Her ability couldn't match kitty's, he was always the one who could hear the planet the clearest. Maybe it was because someone was waiting for him on the other side after all he was one of The Seven.

A quiet murmur from the planet told her to forget that. She was never meant to find it out; she had discovered it by accident when perusing some old Cetra texts. The Seven Judging Weapons who would decide when all hope was lost for the planet, they were oblivious to what they were but once the majority of them decided that all hope was lost than all sentient life would be swept back into the planet. Sky stared into the fire, with Avarice set against humans so badly it wouldn't take long for her to convince the other six. Thinking of Avarice made her shudder, and her senses prickled as she sensed a WEAPON a long distance away somehow knowing it was her.


	13. Chapter 13 Deadly Avarice

Neither Vincent nor Carl would speak about what had happened the day before. Tifa saw Carl leave early in the morning and come back clean of the blood he had been soaked in. he walked around with a somber expression without making eye contact and his head bent with shoulders hunched. He led the party without speaking and trudged at a pace that was hard to match. He was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice his teammates struggling to keep up. Cloud had put in an effort when they first started, to match Carl's speed but soon realizing this was futile had fallen into step with the rest of the team. The group past into a wooded area near the base of the mountain. Tifa was just about to ask if they could rest when Carl came to a complete stand still. He turned to face the rest of them looking left and right. He started to say something when a blur of blue knocked him into the air. He twisted and landed on his feet and turned to face the monster before him.

"Long time no see… brother"

"Avarice"

The creature stood on its hind legs and slowly morphed into a more feminine shape, though it still towered over them. It was light blue and covered in scales weird bony things stuck out of her head and drooped like hair. Eight inch talons that looked like metal came from its fingers and ultra-violet eyes stared at them. The creature's tail whipped agitatedly around its legs.

"Now what's this brother" she hissed unpleasantly "travelling with this human scum" each 's' sound was drawn out.

"What do you want Avarice?"

"Me? What do I want? I want to rid the planet of these filthy creatures… but first" she purred and stalked closer, Carl straightened as she came within an inch of him her tail wrapping around his legs "I wanted to ask you a question"

"Ask what you like but don't expect and answer"

"I heard what happened to your friend, tragic really" the word tragic was distorted so it had three syllables. Carl's face went stony "so tragic and I was wondering if you understand now… they killed your friend for nothing more then blood. Don't you want to rain down your… *wrath* and give those vile creatures everything they deserve?"

Carl didn't answer just turns his head away from Avarice's lolling tongue.

"Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want to wring those hunters' necks"

Carl pauses then looks her in the eye.

"I don't want to wring those hunters' necks"

"Liar" Avarice roared and struck Carl across the face with her talons "You and your weak human heart!"

Hot blood pours down from his cheek and Carl spat a mouthful of blood at her

"At least I have a heart"

She continues to slash at Carl who only moves to deflect blows aimed at his eyes. She forces him back and he turns trying to lead her away from the group. Avarice continues her assault until Cloud puts his buster sword in front of Carl. Avarice looks up slowly then leans in close to Carl who had fallen to his knees.

"Now what's this? JENOVA scum… why I didn't think even you could sink this low"

"Leave Carl alone"

"Cloud don't interfere"

"Carl?" she rolled the name around in her mouth "You have taken a human name. I suppose that makes sense seeing as you refuse to allow you true self out"

"Leave him alone!"

"I will strike you down host of JENOVA and enjoy every second of your agonized screams"

She raised her hand to strike Cloud.

"No Avarice leave them alone"

She freezes and smiles, lowering her hand and wrapping her snake like body around Carl. She hisses unpleasantly in hiss ear and he flinches as her tongue flicks against him

"Okay _Carl_" she snickers "I will leave them alone… but I think they should meet Fury don't you?"

She licked the blood from one of Carl's wounds and continued to snicker. Even from where Tifa was standing she saw Carl pale.

"Come on little human mutt! Avarice wants to talk to her real brother"

"Never"

"Tut-tut one should never say never. Looks like I'll have to cut him out of you" she dragged Carl out of reach of the others flicking her tail and knocking Cloud over. She raised her hands and began hacking away at Carl. Carl couldn't move away since his body was tightly wrapped at the legs. He deflected blows using his armored sleeve. Vincent started forward raising his gun.

"No don't! your bullets wont do anything just stay back protect the others"

Avarice brought her hand down again intent on slicing his eyes but he caught her wrist and twisted it. She yanked it free and rubbed it then hissed "resistance"

Carl managed to wriggle out of her grip but was caught quickly by her tail. She held him upside down and brought him closer to her face. At that second she screeched and turned her head away. Tifa had cast cure on her. The effect was instantaneous but short lived. Avarice clutched her chest as blood dripped from under her scales. She growled and seconds later the unseen wounds were healed by a glowing tendril of Lifestream that came out of the ground. The grip on Carl's legs tightened and taking advantage of her distraction Carl clawed the side of her face with a newly formed talon. He couldn't afford for Avarice to go after his team mates; they didn't stand a chance against her. Avarice's bony crest stood up and she turned her head snapping her teeth together inches away from Carl. She smiled as blood dripped from the wound on her face and touched it lightly then licked it with her long tongue. He saw Tifa readying herself for another blast of magic

"No! Stop, it won't stop her just-"

Avarice flung him into a tree with enough force to knock any words in his head far away. He bounced forward but her scaly tail hit him back into it so that a crack appeared in the timber.

"Let me talk to Fury"

Carl was lifted off the ground by his neck but still managed to gasp.

"No… I hate your rotten guts!"

"Fool you will die when I rip your rotten guts out of you!"

"Go to hell"

"I'll take you with me"

Avarice roared tightening her grip on his neck. Carl squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth. Avarice cried out in pain and dropped Carl, her tail was bleeding and she bent to examine it. In that second she felt a pair of hands around her neck and felt her back hit the tree. Their position had been reversed and now she was struggling to breathe.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep… sister of mine"

"Fury!" she gasped eyes wide because of the pressure on her neck "Is it really you?"

Fury released his grip and she touched the ground.

"What are you doing here Avarice has the planet lost hope for the humans?"

"Not yet brother of mine but soon"

Suddenly her hand darted out and stabbed straight through Carl's body. He grunted slightly but it seemed he had been expecting this and she pulled her hand out and waited. Nothing happened she smiled.

"I was just checking it was really you brother of mine and not that human mutt"

"You should hold your tongue Avarice… I would hate to have to cut it out of you"

Avarice laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world and flicked her snake-like tongue out. Tifa let a gasp slip from her mouth and Avarice lazily stared at her.

"Oh brother of mine I wish you wouldn't let your human side take over" she presses herself against Carl who turns away slightly and confirms Tifa's fears. His eyes are glowing ultra-violet and his mouth stretches from ear to ear and is full of sharp teeth giving him a demon like appearance. Briefly he looks at Tifa then lowers his gaze before turning away.

"Join me… let us rid the world of this human scum and wring all their worthless necks"

"Not yet sister of mine, the planet has not given up yet and I would hate to have to wring your pretty little neck as punishment" he runs a claw down the side of her face "or slice off you pretty little face"

She smiled dreamily at him as if he were whispering poetry to her.

"Let us at least kill these humans brother of mine"

"I will deal with these humans" he says quickly. Cloud takes up a battle stance but Avarice looks momentarily uncertain. Fury continues conversationally "remember you promised not to touch them sister of mine"

She sighs and untangles herself from Carl

"Fine have all the fun…" she smiles "until the end brother of mine"

She turned revealing tightly folded wings on her back that as she opened to her full extent proved to be huge.

She laughs long and low the bony hair on her head sticking up in a spiky crest.

"I have missed you brother of mine but now I leave… maybe we will see each other soon" she spreads her wings and is gone in seconds. Carl sighed and leant against the tree after a second he spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground. He looked at the rest of the party and their uncertainty and sank to the base of the tree smearing his blood on the bark.

"It's okay it's me I was only acting" he grunted as his eyes changed back to purple and his face became normal but tired looking. He put a hand over the wound which had begun to pump blood. Tifa moved toward him but Cloud stopped her shaking his head, she stopped looking uncertain. No one else made a move toward him. "I don't blame you for not trusting me but I have no intention to kill you… if I hadn't said those things then Avarice would have killed you all" he looked at them sadly they didn't trust him. "It's okay I understand that you don't trust me it won't matter soon anyway. If you are going to leave I would get going now unless you want an encounter with the real Fury"

"Is it really you Carl?" He nodded "why isn't the wound healing?"

"Wounds inflicted by other WEAPONS need special treatment or they don't heal"

"Why did she stab you?"

"To see if I would resist, this injury would disappear if I transformed which is why she was expecting a fight if it was me"

"Why didn't you fight?"

"She would have killed us all in seconds. She needs to think she has won" Carl's grip on the wound tightened as a pain shot through him… Fury, for some reason the flower girl came into his mind.

Carl leant his head back and closed his eyes for a few seconds then laughed quietly at some unheard joke.

"Yeah maybe but you're one to talk about dilly dallying"

The party members all turn to each other all knowing the only person who would say that. Vincent, Barret and Tifa are at Carl's side in seconds. He opens his eyes and frowns.

"Weren't you guys leaving me to die?"

"Not on your life"

Carl snorted then groaned.

"What do you need to heal?"

"Moving water, a river or a stream"

Vincent nods and lifts Carl. Barret had been right he was absurdly heavy, even with Vincent's superior strength. Carl endured the pain silently but the small movement nearly made him passed out.

"There is a small river that feeds into the swamp not far from here"

"You think he will make it that far?"

"He will have too"

Vincent could feel Carl's body temperature rising. He held him close only now seeing how young and frail the boy looked.

Carl travelled through various levels of awareness. At one point he croaked.

"You know from this angle you look just like you father" he had passed out a few seconds later.

Another short while later he opened his eyes wide and said

"Remember what I asked you?" Vincent had nodded "if I die Fury will take over this body… I thought you should know" he had faded back into unconsciousness. Vincent hurried knowing there was little time left wondering if it was already too late and if Carl would still be able to repair himself. Carl opened his eyes and saw an endless white abyss. He felt something move and turned slightly to see a girl in pink crouching down beside him. "You must be the flower girl" she nodded.

"My name is Aerith…


	14. Chapter 14 The Borderland

Carl registered the odd warmth in the air and tried to stand but was seemingly pinned to the floor. On closer inspection he saw flowers tangled all around his body. He shifted in attempt to get free but the red flowers shifted with him. He quickly gave up and lay on his back so he could stare at the girl in pink who was humming along and tending to the flowers.

"Where are we Aerith?"

She looked up at him smiling.

"This is the borderland"

"Does that mean I died?"

"No it means that your body is dying and this is the place between life and death. This is where you choose to fight for what you want… you could abandon your body the humans and let Avarice have her fun or…" she cleaned some blood away from his face "you could go back and fight for us and the planet"

He stared at her but she just smiled reassuringly.

"I don't know what I want any more…"

"Well that's okay too but you're running out of time… if you die Fury will take over your body and without you he will kill everything in his path"

"I can't let that happen"

Pain shot through him making him try to buckle but unable thanks to the flowers strong embrace.

"That is Fury, if you don't fight for your body he will take it from you"

The pain came again making him shake as he tried to suppress Fury. The whiteness of the endless void was momentarily filled with colors and sounds that Carl couldn't make out except for the blue sky. He saw red and green and a weird floating yellow blob. The world faded back into whiteness and he had to shut his eyes as more pain came through him. He felt a hand on his head and tried to warn Aerith about his ability but couldn't open his mouth. He gritted his teeth to stop him crying out in pain as Fury started seeping into him. He felt adrenalin shooting through him as Fury felt the damage to his body. Fear-Anger-Vengefulness-Panic an insuppressible need to survive. Fighting hard to keep control of his body he clenched his fists. The ground beneath him start to suck him in. he didn't have the strength to struggle. The soft ground held him in an icy embrace that leached away his body heat in seconds.

"Good luck" he heard Aerith whisper. He broke one hand free of the hold and stretched it out before he was completely sucked down into the white abyss.

Carl's first thought was that someone was touching him. Strange memories came to him hot with anger and pain making him grimace. He opened his eyes and saw Vincent above him. Something was splashing him. He looked around and saw clear water and let himself smile. It was cut short by a pain tearing through his body as Fury fought for control. Vincent was looking down at him with concern and speaking but the words couldn't reach Carl so he stared blankly at Vincent. Then began to understand. He put a hand on Vincent's shoulder and used it to stand up in the water. He saw his blood had dyed the water red. His vision was blurry and his body felt clumsy.

"Take JENOVA away please" he managed to slur.

Vincent nodded and moved away slowly making sure Carl had his balance. When the others left the water it instantly froze over. Red lines cut through the ice writing complex symbols in it. The lines lit up and the grass at the edge of the river began to die. Cloud was reminded of an aerial view of a mako Midgar he had once seen with the mako reactors feeding into the mains. Yellow light surrounded Carl and lit up his eyes like he was hollow. The ice began to crack as snakes of water forced their way out. The water separated out into strings that overlapped each other. Tifa saw fish struggling against the new currents. Vincent looked at the water and saw how it reminded him of the Lifestream. The water began to glow a pale mako green and twisted around agitatedly coiling around Carl who looked like he was in a trance. The tendrils tenderly touched the wound and yellow light knitted it together. A few seconds past then the water tendrils collapsed back into a river. The bright colors disappeared and the grass that had died before, turned green again.

Carl blinked a few times staring at a point ahead of him. A wolf sat on the other side but it wasn't Élan as he had thought just a random wolf.

"Carl"

He turned Tifa was the one who had spoken. He stepped out of the water still slightly dazed. He smiled as best he could at her in an attempt to reassure her. His face was a mask of thin scars making him look a lot older and worn.

"Hey… you guys okay?"

"Yeah… thanks to you"

Carl looked slightly confused his memories muddled then he remembered Avarice.

"Thanks for not leaving me"

"Now don't get all sentimental we need you to help us save the planet"

Carl smiled at Barret and nodded.

"Right" Carl looked around trying to work out where they were when he caught site of some red flowers. He crouched beside them examining the delicate petals and in his head he heard Aerith giggle and he smiled. Maybe humans were worth saving after all.


	15. Chapter 15 Family Troubles

**just to tell everyone... i have no credit and therefore cant reply to your pm's and reviews *yet* as soon as i top up and i get a decent internet signal i will totally sit down and answer any and all questions. also next week might have sporadic updates since my school is shipping me off to the capital for a few days. you might think there would be lots of internet but no, but i will update when ever i am near a computer i promise, fangirls honour. on an extra special not**

**thank you guys for faving me and following me! it means the world to me! if you guys/girls have any requests dont be shy to ask! i tend to put my fans on a pedestal heehee, that way the experience the full force of my goodwill. now without further ado...**

"So you are telling me that you don't need to eat ever"

"That is what I have said"

"And you don't like… get hungry?"

"Not so far as I know"

"That's so weird"

"Right and I suppose everything else has been the height of normality"

"By my standard yes"

"You have strange standards Tifa"

Carl sighed, this conversation had been going on too long and he felt tired. The others had insisted if they traveled a little further they would arrive at the chocobo stable and be able to rest there.

"Why the sudden interest anyway?"

"Oh nothing" Tifa replied mysteriously "I was just thinking I could cook something nice that even you would enjoy"

"You should realise that I have no knowledge of ever 'enjoying food'"

"Seriously!?"

"How does one enjoy food?"

Tifa stared for a few seconds then seemed to struggle with an answer.

"Well first of all you see if you like the taste"

"…okay" taste he knew what that was it help him to know what the food was made from.

"And then well there is the texture"

"Texture?" immediately he thought of sand paper and smooth rocks and looked alarmed.

"Oh boy… help me out Cait Sith do you have some technical explanation?"

"Searching Archives! You should eat a balanced diet containing…"

"Never mind"

Carl stared confusedly at the cat robot.

"Balanced diet?"

Before the cat could answer a weird humming started in Carl's ear. He pressed his fingers onto his forehead.

"Carl are you okay?"

The humming subsided a little and he nodded. Perhaps he hadn't fully recovered yet…

"Yes just a noise"

The humming came again and he thought for a second he may have heard a voice.

"Carl you're going pale what's wrong?"

"I don't know… what's happening"

The buzzing grew in intensity and he heard vague whispers that he couldn't make out. He stared blankly ahead of him fully aware of his surroundings but at the same time stuck inside his head.

_**Help m**_e

A picture appeared in his head. It was an upside down view of a silver haired man with a sword. Avarice's claws hanging down.

The buzzing lowered in intensity but still was enough to give him a headache.

"Carl talk to us, what's happening to you"

"I… I think Avarice is in trouble. I think she is being tortured"

"Avarice but we saw her only a short while ago"

"I think the remnants have her…" the buzzing reached a pitch for a second and he began to understand what he was feeling. This was Avarice's pain "I have to help her"

"What are you talking about!?" Cloud said incredulously "she was going to kill you! It seems pretty obvious she hates you why do you care?"

"She is family"

"Only just! you don't owe her anything!"

"That is not true… I owe her my life"

Nanaki looked interested and sat down waiting for Carl to explain. Carl sighed hating having to relive the experience and hating having to talk to the small crowd.

"Before when we were all working together I was seriously injured and Avarice prevented me from transforming and took me to be healed"

"She prevented you from transforming? But why would she do that?"

"She didn't always hate humans… but there isn't time we have to find her"

"But wait! How did she stop you from transforming?"

"She can suppress people's powers by looking them in the eye"

"Still… after everything that has happened between you… you still want to help her?"

"Does it matter? It will lead us to the remnants and that's what we wanted in the first place. My motives do not matter"

Cloud didn't look like he understood but nodded regardless. The whispers were getting weaker did that mean that Avarice was dying?

The world seemed to have taken on a surreal quality. What on this planet could capture Avarice? How was it even possible? Carl was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that it was only Tifa catching his arm that stopped him walking straight into the sharp rocks. He blinked and looked at Tifa then back at the rocks. The surprise registered a few seconds later. Effectively blocking the path was a wall of sharp rocks.

"There must have been a landslide"

"We have no choice we will have to go around it to get anywhere" Cloud scratched his head "what could have brought this much down?"

"A WEAPON…"

Carl hadn't meant to speak but the words slipped from his mouth seemingly crawling through the air tinged with bitterness and apprehension. Without another word Carl started to walk around it. Cloud who was used to being the unspoken leader stared after him. Vincent ignored this and followed Carl without looking at Cloud and soon everyone had passed him. Cloud felt something strange biting at him a bad feeling… was he jealous? Why would he be jealous Carl wasn't even human what did he have to be jealous of? Tifa stopped and looked back at Cloud.

"You're going to get left behind if you start daydreaming like that"

"Huh? Oh yeah coming"

Cloud quickly fell into step with Tifa. He took the chance to watch her from the corner of his eye. Was he jealous of how easily Carl could talk to Tifa? How she reached out for him? Did she… why did he care? Tifa was nothing more then a good friend. Nothing more… then that. _What's it going to be a memory or us Cloud?_ That's what she had said to him what seemed like forever ago.

"Someone has died in this place"

Cloud looked up to see what was left of the chocobo stable. The building had collapsed in on itself like a house of playing cards. Carl stood staring at the destruction with a sad expression. Cloud stiffened slightly as he watched Tifa put a hand on Carl's back. He tore his eyes away from them brushing imaginary dirt from his clothes. He looked up it time to see Vincent looking at him that same look of calm that he always wore. Vincent let his eyes move to Tifa then back to Cloud and after a second of thought filled staring turned away.

Carl touched part of the ruined fence leaning on it for support. Had this been Avarice's work? It seemed unlikely it wasn't… precise enough but at the same time few creatures could bring a building down like this. His eyes followed a yellow feather that was floating over the ruins. It settled at the foot of a chocobo who squawked loudly and pecked the ground furiously. The bird was standing awkwardly like its leg was hurt but with single minded determination pecking at the part of the fallen structure. Carl stared sadly at the bird then his eyes widened. Carl leapt forward like a cat suddenly understanding what the bird was doing. The chocobo squawked as if to ward him off but he bowed his head and held out his hands to show he wasn't a threat. He was dimly aware of the others saying it wasn't safe and he knew they were right the moment he stepped inside. Every movement shook the walls that had remained standing. He was at the chocobo's side peering into the hole it had created with its beak. Putting his fingers into the hole Carl began to pull. The board came free surprisingly easily and made a loud snapping noise. Just as Carl had feared. Under the boards was a man, he looked old and well fed and he coughed feebly when the board was lifted. He had been concealed in a perfect little cage of wood. Carl put his hands around the man struggling to pull him up. The chocobo squawked in alarm and Carl looked to see what had disturbed it. The wall above them was held up solely by debris. At the top was a very sharp piece of shuttering sheet probably all that was left of the roof. Any movement he made the sheet wobble and slide closer to the ledge. If he was on his own Carl was sure he could escape unbruised but he had an injured chocobo and old man to think of. He looked at the chocobo.

"Go on, go to the others"

The bird took a moment then slowly turned and walked away making the sheet slide even closer to the ledge. He put his arms around the man's waist and realized that he couldn't drag him on this rough terrain. Struggling he pulled the man up on to his shoulders. Slowly he began to walk away every step bring the sheet closer and closer with and unpleasant scrapping noise. He turned to see the sheet had nearly reached its equilibrium and he still wasn't out of his range. Step…_scrap_…step…_scrap_… step… the lack of noise was all Carl needed to know the sheet was falling. He charged diving at the last second. He heard the crash behind him as the sheet broke through the wood. He twisted slightly as he saw himself hurtling toward a pipe stuck deeply into one of the boards. Landing badly on his side he turned head to see the rest of the team around him. They hadn't dared get closer for fear of disturbing the shuttering sheet. Tifa was sitting down at the man's side with cure materia concentrating on a small graze on the man's face. Carl sat up and watched as Tifa offered the man a drink of water. He heard whispers from some of the team mates "chocobo bill"

The man suddenly gripped Tifa's arm

"No… no… it's a trap… those men… run" his words were cut short as the ground erupted around him a clawed hand pulling him down. Carl lunged forward seizing Tifa's hand before she was dragged in too. Memories seared his brain but he tried hard to maintain focus.

"Well look at this brother two more WEAPONS for us to collect…


	16. Chapter 16 Unholy Trinity

"Yazoo!?"

Cloud said incredulously making Carl half turn toward him.

"You know this remnant?"

"Yeah we've met before"

"There is something wrong here…"

"What do you mean?"

"I sense… other WEAPONS it is almost as if…"

"As if what!?"

Carl's eyes widened in shock and he took a step back from Yazoo as if he might explode.

"Carl what's wrong?"

Carl looked absolutely sick and pale with shock. Yazoo stared smugly at him.

"I didn't anticipate you would figure this out so quickly… Fury"

"Don't call me that you…"

"What's wrong? Don't want to insult an old friend?"

Carl spat eyes dangerously tinged ultraviolet at the edges.

"You were never my friend"

"Careful you don't want to get angry… and who are your travelling companions?"

Carl ground his teeth and took a protective step in front of Tifa.

"Stop talking like him you filthy remnant"

Yazoo's catlike eyes looked at Carl clearly bored and he sighed dramatically.

"But Fury I am Antimony… or at least what is left of him… his power, his memories and his knowledge of every detail that makes you tick" Yazoo made a noise that could have been a happy laugh or a sigh. Carl stared hands clenched into fists. Tifa noticed a trickle of blood as he dug his nails into his palm.

"You monster"

"well you would know all about being a monster… wouldn't you" he smiled sweetly "Oh and you should know that Antimony's last thought was that he wished you had stayed with the group. He thought that you two as a team would have been able to take me on" Yazoo's laughter reached new heights. Carl looked away and for a second Tifa thought he was crying but when he looked up again his face was contorted with anger and an ultraviolet flame seemed to dance around his eyes.

"All this time… have you had him all this time?"

"You mean since his untimely demise? Why yes and he isn't the only one. Brothers why not bring in the special entertainment?" behind them Kadaj and Loz appeared and tangled in what looked to be a form of barbed wire was Avarice being dragged like a sack over the rough terrain.

Everyone was ready to fight but the Remnants didn't seem to care.

"Why are they so calm?"

Cait Sith whispered clutching his mega phone as he stared at the remnants around them.

"I don't know but it don't really matter right now as long as we can get rid of them" Barret leveled his gun with Yazoo's head staring intensely at him before shooting. The ground before Yazoo erupted and a huge monster crawled out. Tifa recognized its hand with a sickening jolt. The beast melted the bullets and crouched to examine the puddles.

"It's the 'ifrit' summon!"

The summon made no move to attack and everyone had frozen.

Yazoo took a step in front of the summon tutting

"Now now that was violent now I have to retaliate. Tell me Fury do you remember what Antimony's power was?" Carl paled and glanced sideways at the rest of the group "I can tell by your expression you do… well we all share it and I have a wonderful idea on how to use it!"

Yazoo trained his eyes on Nanaki who began shaking. Cait Sith fell off his back and looked up at him through his robotic eyes.

"Oh crumbs!"

Nanaki's jaws closed around the robotic cat with vice like force. Vincent attempted to prise Cait Sith from his jaws but Nanaki leapt at him. Vincent deflected the blow with his gauntlet as Nanaki attacked berserkly with savage strength. Nanaki suddenly lost interest and attacked Cait Sith again. Barret and Vincent made a move to help but he shouted.

"What are you doing? I'll be fine keep your eye on the remnants"

Vincent nodded and turned to shoot Yazoo. Before he could get a shot in Yazoo turned his gaze on him. Vincent collapsed and Barret stopped to see what was wrong. Vincent looked up long enough for Barret to see Vincent's eyes start to glow.

"Ah hell! We goanna have Chaos on our hands any minute now"

Vincent clutched his chest as he tried to resist Chaos but he was fighting a loosing battle. Yazoo finally looked at Carl. Carl just had time to see the smile on his face before doubling over in pain. He felt Tifa's hand on his back. His thoughts seemed to become thick and hazy. He heard Yazoo say

"Kadaj you take control of Chaos and Loz take control of the red beast"

Suddenly too hot Carl pulled at the zip on his jacket fumbling with his blurred vision. He felt it fall to the ground but didn't feel any colder.

"Damn it!"

Carl felt his hands on a rock and leaned on it for support. He forced his eyes to stay open so he could see what was happening. He could see Vincent fighting not to transform into Chaos and in front of him he saw Tifa's concerned gaze.

"Fight it Carl you can do it!"

What did she know about it? The concern in her eyes hurt to look at. There was nothing he could do all his strength was being used fighting back Fury and Yazoo and even now he could feel himself slipping. He turned his head away from Tifa, putting both hands on the rock as his back arched. Through the pain he tried to think clearly which was near impossible. A loud screech indicated Chaos had just broken free. Yazoo step out of the way as Chaos tore into the summon. Yazoo frowned at Kadaj.

"I told you too control him"

"I cant the proto-materia wont let me!"

Chaos continued to rip apart the summon, mad with blood lust. Carl groaned as he felt the full force of Yazoo's gaze land on him again. Wait… that was it! Antimony always found it difficult to control people at the same time as doing anything else.

"Tifa" Carl's voice was a low rasp but Tifa leant in closer "if you can distract them they wont be able to control…" he was cut short as another stab of pain suddenly made his senses sharper. He was transforming he couldn't afford to talk. He tasted blood and realise he had bitten his lip as his fangs had grown. He felt himself slipping away…

Tifa understood what Carl meant. It was clear the pain was preventing him from talking and in just a quick glance she saw that Carl had grown a lot taller and even though he was hunched over he still towered over her. Also his fingers were scraping the rock leaving deep gouges. He spat a mouthful of blood on to the rock. Tifa made up her mind

"Hey you remember me?"

Loz looked in her direction confusion written over his face then sudden understanding. He readied his weapon and charged at her. He swung a fist toward her face but she deftly dodged the blow and struck him under the chin following up with a kick. Behind their fight Nanaki suddenly stopped attacking Cait Sith and looked around dizzily before wobbling slightly and collapsing. Loz grit his teeth and began to rain down blows. Tifa found herself with her back to the rock on the opposite side to Carl. She punched Loz squarely in the jaw but he got her under the arm with her weapon. Momentarily blinded as the pressure on her sympathetic nerve caused her to see white. She dodged drunkenly holding her arms in front of her face. She was thrown backwards by a blow to the stomach from Loz's weapon. She turned and tried to spring up and kick him in the face but he caught her foot and threw her to the ground. Winded Tifa stared up as Loz started to bring his weapon down intent to piece her heart…


	17. Chapter 17 The Wrath Of The WEAPONS

**i will top up tonight guys! haha so tell me what ya think of this chapter because things are gonna get fruity from here on in. **

Tifa watched the scene in slow motion unable to stop anything from happening. She knew that Loz's blow would stop her heart and there was nothing she could do…

The rock exploded, Tifa stared in disbelief trying to understand how it had happened but was distracted as something warm and wet landed on her face. She looked up again at Loz who had frozen in the air a shocked expression on his face. It took a second for Tifa to see the four metallic claws through his chest. Loz remained motionless and blood began to trickle from his mouth. The claws in his chest dragged him backwards till he was pulled through the new gaping hole in the rock. Still too shocked to understand exactly what had happen Tifa stood up and wiped the blood from her face.

Understanding hit her like a ton of bricks and its metaphorical force was almost enough to knock her back to the ground. Carl had changed entirely. His body was covered with bone-like white armor and his hair was a crown of bonelike strands. he dwarfed the rest of them easily and thick membranous wings spread from his back complete with hooked claws on the end. The wings were jet black and the contrast was terrifying but most of all were his eyes. Carl's eyes… entirely ultraviolet and entirely devoid of human emotion.

The creature looked at its bloody claw and frowned. The face was different and it was harder to tell what emotions were showing. Tifa found her voice

"Carl!"

The creature looked up examining her with detached interest

"No… I am Fury"

The words seemed to be a struggle to say and the creature held its head as if in pain… its eyes momentarily switched between purple and ultraviolet.

"I do so love it when they resist" Tifa turned to see Yazoo leaning back against a piece of battered fence nonchalantly "but they all fall in the end"

"Shut the hell up!"

This was Fury still holding his head.

"I would conserve your strength 'Carl' or maybe you should just stop fighting then you can be the one to kill this girl instead of me"

A thunderous growl from Fury vibrated the ground at Tifa's feet and she ducked as a clawed hand swiped at Yazoo who dodged easily. Fury removed his hand from his head and roared and made as if to charge at Yazoo. Yazoo smiled and suddenly Fury changed direction tackling Chaos instead. The ifrit summon had long since been reduced to bones and meat but Chaos had continued to rip it apart and revel in the blood shed. Chaos roared at Fury extending its wings to their full height in attempt to make itself look bigger. Fury swiped with one of his wings but Chaos took off before the blow landed. Fury followed suit and soon the battle was in the sky. Chaos outmaneuvered Fury but unable to match the speed or physical strength. Chaos' was clearly holding back which made Tifa think that Vincent was maintaining a slight hold on the demon. She wondered how long that would last once Chaos received a few blows.

Tifa was distracted as Yazoo fired his gun at her apparently able to multitask better then the others. Tifa ducked and twirled till she was on the opposite side of the rock. Counting to five she pounced, trying to disarm him. She brought her fist down on his wrist but his grip on the gun was tight enough for him not to loose it and in a fluid motion he brought his gun up and smacked her in the chin with it. Tifa dived out the way and so did Yazoo as a stream of crackling black energy seared a line through the ground. Chaos was becoming more frantic and shooting more randomly. Fury didn't seem to use a weapon his claws were deadly enough.

Yazoo started firing again and Tifa was forced to duck behind the remains of a chocobo stable. Suddenly Barret was beside her

"You okay?"

"Yeah so far you?"

"Yeah I'm fine but cant say the same for Cait Sith or spiky for that matter"

"What happened to Cloud?"

"He's taken a few hits from Kadaj"

"What about Nanaki?"

"Still passed out bur otherwise fine"

"Right I have an idea"

"I'm all ears"

"We have to set Avarice free"

"But she might try and kill us"

"I don't think we will be her main target"

"You're right! She is goanna be mad as hell at these remnants"

"Exactly so are you ready?"

"Yep let's go"

They dived out from behind their shelter and ran straight for the limp form of Avarice. Yazoo kept firing at them but was distracted as Chaos scorched the ground with another blast. Tifa arrived at Avarice's side and noted the shallow breathing and oozing wounds. Avarice weakly turned her head revealing more barbed wire around her neck.

"I thought WEAPONS could only be harmed by WEAPONS"

"No he didn't say that he just said that wounds from WEAPONS had to be treated differently and besides she probably cant heal with all this JENOVA around"

Barret used his metal arm to unwrap the wire from around Avarice's body but she barely stirred. Tifa lightly touched Avarice's face

"Wake up Avarice your brother needs you"

Avarice didn't respond straight away then opening a purple eye she coughed weakly.

"I have no power…"

"There must be something you can do"

Avarice regarded Tifa and smiled

"Humans they always want what they cant have… but I have to admire how stubborn you are… fighting when there is no hope"

"There is always hope and I will fight as long as I have people to fight for!"

"Someone to fight for?"

"Yes Avarice everyone needs someone to fight for you can't just give up!"

Avarice growled and strained to get up

"I never said I was giving up"

She staggered a torn wing stretching in front of her to catch her before she fell. It was at this moment Yazoo appeared. The bullets tore through the membrane of Avarice's wings but before Yazoo could do anything else Avarice swiped a mighty claw across and pinned him to the ground. She leered at him unpleasantly then leaning forward said

"Look into my eyes"

Yazoo tried desperately to look away but it was too late he went limp and his power was taken. There was a brief pause and then Avarice made a fist and brought it down on the remnant. An explosion of tainted Lifestream surged toward Kadaj joined by a new stream from Loz's body. Cloud leaped away as the light engulfed Kadaj who staggered.

"Mother!?"

He said falling back suddenly he clutched his arm and exclaimed in pain. Blood poured freely from some unseen wound. His arm disconnected and he was left holding the stump. The free arm began to twist and morph and change shape.

"It's a JENOVA part!"

At that moment the Death Penalty fell from the sky and was embedded to the trigger into the ground. Seconds later it was followed by Chaos. The badly wounded WEAPON tried to rise but the odd angle of its wing made it hiss. Seconds later Fury was on ground level facing JENOVA it had apparently forgotten about Chaos. Its claws were soaked with Chaos' blood and his twisted face allowed them to see all of his teeth.

Avarice struggled over to him and stood by his side ready to fight. Since Fury wasn't interested in anyone else the rest of AVALANCHE bar Vincent, Cait Sith and Nanaki got ready to attack the now tentacle covered JENOVA part.

Kadaj ran holding his arm and leaving his sword behind. Nobody made a move to follow him but Avarice did shout a few insults about being a coward after him. Fury roared a challenge and Avarice whispered to Tifa

"Are you ready for this human?"

"Of course as long as I'm fighting with my friends"

"Well then let us destroy this alien monstrosity…

**REVIEW! empower me to write more! or i leave it on a huge cliffhanger for a whole week bwahahahahahahahahah *cough* *clears throat* bwahahaha**


	18. Chapter 18 Danger and Reflection

**You're gonna hate me for the cliffhanger but we haven't heard from the dynamic duo in too long. Anyway I'm not like Big Ben and have a lousy sense of timing ha-ha #hums merrily at the gob-smacked audience# just think of it this way, wont chapter 18 be that much sweeter now? I'll stress the fact that this would have happened if more people were reviewing! Of course this doesn't apply to outskirts anni and seersword who regularly review and will be rewarded:-P bwhaahhaaha but the rest of ya brought this upon yourselves! **

"Sky, why are we running!?"

"I can feel it! Real JENOVA and Avarice she is in pain and Kitty! I think he is in trouble too"

"Where are they?"

"I don't know! That way"

Sky began to sob as she ran and Yuffie could hardly keep up.

"Why are you crying Sky?"

"They are torturing her; they made her cry for help! Avarice never cries for help"

"Sky I can't keep up! Slow down!"

Reluctantly Sky slowed down then came to a stop and sat down. Yuffie panted and sat down besides her assuming that Sky was as tired as she was. Sky however seemed to have other ideas. She was drawing a circle in the ground and sat in the centre.

"Planet hear my voice, bring us snow!"

The circle lit up with Lifestream that reached out and gently probed Sky who had her eyes closed.

"Brother is in danger and JENOVA is here we need your help!"

The tendrils sunk back into the ground and the sky clouded over. A harsh wind from the north started up and it began to hail. Sky grabbed Yuffie's hand and dragged her under the cover of the trees. She slowly leant against the trunk and stared out at the grey day.

"Do you want to explain what just happened?"

"I summoned snow"

"Uh why and I know you're a WEAPON and all but what's with the snow?"

"Kitty is in trouble, he is an ice elemental and as long as it is snowing he will have an advantage"

"Okay but how are we going to get to him now?"

"Slowly… I'm sorry princess I couldn't think of anything else"

"It's okay Sky. Come on if we are gonna be walking slow then we better get going"

Sky brushed a few tears away and nodded. Big brother and big sister needed her and she couldn't afford to let them down… not after all the pain she had caused them, the wedge she had driven between them. He never blamed her, she would prefer it if he would just scream at her like Avarice would. He wouldn't, she didn't even think he could. He just remained silent a took the blame. It was her fault that Chloe died, it was her fault Avarice hated humans, hated kitty… hated everything. She had lied to Yuffie, she understood exactly what had happened between those two and there hadn't been anything before that… it was all her doing. If Avarice only knew then Sky would be dead a long time ago.

Even though it had happened many years ago she still remembered the screams, the ones she could have prevented…

**Fifteen Years Previous**

"Are you ready for this Chloe?"

"Ready as I'll ever be"

"We will end this today, bring down Shinra"

"And then the planet will be able to stop screaming"

"Yes, she will rest in ease"

"Why couldn't we tell the others?"

"They wouldn't understand, they won't become active unless the planet orders them to"

"Why hasn't the planet?"

"Because it has too much sympathy"

"Still we should have told Avarice she would help"

"No! Avarice would take the matter into her own hands; she wouldn't let us get into danger especially you"

"I am pretty special"

"Yeah I suppose"

"Hey Tempest"

"Mm?"

"When this is over we should all go for a nice meal, somewhere above plate"

"Sounds good"

She peered down over the metal girders and instantly felt the vertigo. She sucked in air then smiled shakily, turning to Chloe she smiled

"When we manage to take out this reactor everyone will have to take me seriously, I don't want to be the baby of the group"

"Common! I can't take the suspense!"

She nodded then grabbed Chloe around the waist and flew from the perch. They broke through into the ventilation system of the reactor and crawled to its core. Landing beside the reactor core, Chloe set to work with the explosives.

"Okay we have six minutes let's get out of here"

"Halt!"

They both turned to see the group, SOLDIERS; she didn't hesitate sending a stunning charge through the metal rails. The electricity arced over the group stunning them. She grabbed Chloe's hand then ran head down through them.

"What about flying?"

"Snipers"

It was true, they hadn't noticed them or maybe they had been summoned by the troops but there was o taking off from here. Navigating through the reactor in an effort to reach the surface. Gunfire was heard constantly, it was as if they had tuned into the white-noise in between radio stations. Bullets tore through the air creating sparks as the connected with the metal.

"We only have four minutes left"

"Right"

Chloe cried out and she turned in time to see her falling backwards over the rail. She dived grabbing Chloe's hand; bullets zipped though the air and hit her shoulder. Tempest cried out and fell with Chloe. Opening her wings she glided toward the lower level. The planet already set to work on her wound. Laying Chloe down, she examined the injury, a gunshot to the hip shattering the bone inside. It could be healed but not here with the fast diminishing time. Careful not to jostle her too much, Tempest picked Chloe up letting her mismatched eyes examine her for any other injuries before hauling her over her shoulder. Chloe's watch started to bleep and Tempest Glanced at it, two minutes till the explosion. Running low to the ground she let loose to bolts of St. Elmo's fire that served the dual purpose of illuminating the hall ahead and stunning Shinra troops. Tempest struggled to climb the ladder with Chloe's weight over her shoulder but somehow managed it. The bleeping grew in intensity till it was practically shrieking; thirty seconds left. There wasn't enough time, there simply wasn't enough time. Tempest went as fast as she could but as she made it to the platform she was surrounded by Shinra troops. She put Chloe on the ground.

"Shiva's Illusion!"

The room was illuminated with bright blue light and the SOLDIERS gasped as they saw Tempest replaced by a Shiva summon.

"Move or die!" it said, the commander took a moment then ordered

"Fire"

The SOLDIERS obeyed immediately. Bullets seemingly had no effect and soldiers were thrown off their feet. The bleeping became a single sharp note. And the world was bathed in flames. Pure Mako rushed up from the reactor core and Shiva gasped. Hooking her arms around Chloe the illusion was broken. Tempest took to the sky covered in blood from the bullets. They were going to make it. The ceiling of the reactor had caved in revealing beautiful night sky. A gunshot rang out, seemingly louder then all those before… and the sky was snatched away, they fell. The new hole in her wings making them useless for flight. She caught hold of a ledge and held on to Chloe with her other hand. She strained to see who had fired and saw the commander, badly burned, cursing her with his dying breath.

"Tempest…"

"It's fine"

"No… your bleeding let me fall"

"No"

"You can get away if you let me go"

"I'm not letting you go"

"Don't be stupid! There is no use us both dying"

"But"

"Do you always want to be the baby?"

"I"

"I always thought you were so immature! You only care about what other people think about you, you're shallow!"

"You're just trying to make me angry so I'll drop you"

The metal began to bend and Tempest's grip tightened. The heat was singing her fur, there were tears in Chloe's eyes but she tried desperately not to let them show.

There was a loud thump above them and huge sheets of metal began to fall. Suddenly there was a pain in her hand. She let go, she scream as she saw what had happened. Chloe had stabbed her with her combat knife, through both her own hand and Tempest's. Chloe vanished into the flames and left Tempest shrieking after her. She dived as if to grab her but a firm hand sized her arm pulling her up higher onto the deck. She turned to lash out at the SOLDIER but stop short when she saw who it was. His expression unreadable and hard to make out as he was silhouetted by the moons light. Fury in human form, from his purple eyes it was easy to tell who she was dealing with. She flung herself sobbing at him.

"I let her go! I let her go"

He remained silent patting her on the back, eventually he said

"Why were you here?"

His voice was filled with exertion and croaked slightly from the lack of use.

"We were going to bring down the reactor it was hurting the planet and-"

"Did the planet ask you to do that?"

"No"

"I see" he turned his head slightly then whispered "get behind me"

A shadow dropped from the sky and Avarice landed on the platform. Her sharp senses picked out the smell of Chloe's blood. Chloe, she had known her since the girl's father had died.

"Where is Chloe?"

Her voice was low and dangerous, a tone saved for dealing with remnants.

"I… I… there were SOLDIERS and they were shooting and… it's my entire fault!"

"Chloe is dead?"

"Yes"

"You lead her here? Into the danger? You lead her to her death?"

"I, I… I"

"It was my doing Avarice"

Avarice's head snapped up into Fury's face

"Your doing?"

"Yes, this reactor was hurting the planet; I also saw it as an opportunity to see what Tempest would be capable of"

"Your test cost Chloe her life"

Avarice struck him across his human face with unrestrained force. Fury was knocked to the ground and slid dangerously close to the edge of the platform. Avarice put a foot on his chest and growled into his ear.

"You, you and those human abominations, none of you deserve to live"

"Avarice please don't! It was my fault"

"You were but a pawn in his little game. Fury your human self sickens me, so pathetic and calculating. Your lack of purity is one of many human faults. Avarice took off leaving both of them on the platform. She flew straight through the reactor, through the fire, again and again piercing hundreds of holes through it till it started to give way. The screams, SOLDIERS who had been trapped inside and was it her imagination or was there a single female scream?

Fury got up slowly and turned slightly to look at her teary purple eyes. He turned away from her and looked up.

"Why does the planet pick the weakest links in the chain to be her champions?" there was no answer to his question "humans, moogles, snakes… monsters. Tempest do you remember anything before this?"

"Before what?"

"Being a WEAPON"

"We didn't exist before we were WEAPONS brother, it is the reason the planet created us"

Fury remained silent, and then taking a step forward closer to the edge he asked

"Are you're injuries healed"

"Y… yes"

"Good you can fly back"

"What about you?"

"I somehow doubt that an encounter with Avarice would be beneficial to my health"

"Oh,"

"You should stay with Arabesque" he let his feet stand half in half off the platform. "Some other time"

"What?"

"She will take you for that dinner above the plate some other time"

He jumped off the ledge a disappeared leaving Tempest in her relaxed form to stare after him. She looked up into the night sky and wondered what she had just set in motion.

"I'm so sorry Chloe"

She whispered to the wind… she would need to change, not care what other people thought and live for both of them.

"I'll live for the both of us Chloe, the sky is the limit"

**Yeah did not mean to write that in so soon but I just saw an opportunity and decided that the sooner I got it out of the way, the sooner people would understand *other* things DUN DUN DAAA! oh and YOU ARE DEFINITELY GONNA HATE ME because i cant update till the monday after next. heehee it is terrible i know, you should know it will drive me up the wall too!**


	19. Chapter 19 Conflicted Interests

**Hello! I'm back! Did ya miss me? Well that's enough dilly dallying on with the show oh and im putting a cover on my creation so be sure to check it out**

The JENOVA part was immediately trying to cast bio on them but Tifa cast resist and it nullified the attack. Avarice charged forward sinking large fangs into the spongy mass and pulling away while slashing with her claws. Tifa was in her element, momentarily gone was the doubt that had been creeping into her heart. In this fight you had to be in the moment, there was no time to dwell on past mistakes. She liked it, it was just like before… Fury roared and stabbed at JENOVA, its soft tentacles put up little resistance. Avarice was working hard but her injuries prevented her from doing much. Cloud looked a little roughed up but was working hard too. Nanaki was still out and Chaos had turned back into Vincent (and unceremoniously left his host crumpled on the floor).

Tifa threw punches into the spongy mass following up with the dolphin kick. JENOVA was already getting weaker, its movements more desperate. Barret shouted as he emptied a round of ammunition into the writhing creature. Fury sent shards of ice flying into the soft tissue and JENOVA shrieked, it lunged forward but Fury and Cloud dodged deftly to either side. We are going to win! The thought had only just been formed when something unexpected happened. Fury plunged forward in an attack. But JENOVA wrap him in its tentacles dragging him closer to its deformed maw. Fury struggled in the monsters grip but it only tightened, more tentacles came to reinforce the hold and Fury was dragged forward, digging up the ground with his feet. There was a cracking sound and an almost human cry from Fury. The bony white armor that covered him had cracked over his arm, exposing tender flesh. JENOVA's snake like tentacles pressed against the exposed skin eliciting sharp cries of anger and shock from Fury.

In unison they swarmed JENOVA and in the struggle Cloud brought his buster sword down on its head. Avarice roared, slashing her way through JENOVA's flesh and rushed to Fury who was still tangled among the tentacles. After freeing himself, Fury touched the ground which immediately froze. JENOVA's corpse became an ice sculpture, he held his position for a few seconds, crouched and staring, and then slowly he wrapped a clawed hand over his wound. Fury stood up and walked around in apparent confusion till Avarice lightly brushed his arm. He turned his ultraviolet eyes to her and she looked back in concern. Fury gripped his head

"What is it brother?"

"Voices… voices… it is him… Sephiroth"

Avarice looked too shocked to understand.

"Sephiroth? She… touched your skin"

Fury nodded gripping his head tightly.

"Those pathetic humans they…" he shook his head and growled then a pleading look came into his suddenly purple eyes.

"Avarice… help me… it isn't Fury's time… he will destroy everything"

Avarice stared and then glanced at Tifa. She owed the girl a debt and… he was right Fury would not be able to control himself if Sephiroth had indeed wormed his voice inside him. It would drive him crazy and Fury was too confused to handle it right now and Avarice did not want to be caught in the crossfire. Avarice nodded and locked eyes with Fury, draining the power necessary to maintain his transformation. After a second he collapsed his body seemingly evaporating until it was Carl lying on the ground. Avarice fell forward until she was sitting on her knees. It had started to hail… good it would aid his healing. Everything dissolved into inky darkness and Avarice fell in the snow. Tifa ran over and checked them over. Avarice was breathing shallowly and Carl to but was totally unresponsive.

She turned to Cloud

"Do you think we can set up camp here? Let's get a fire going quickly"

Cloud seemed had a strange expression, something bordering on contempt.

"What's wrong Cloud?"

"You heard what he said… he has the voice of Sephiroth in his head, he is a monster you saw what he did to Chaos! He is a time bomb"

"That wasn't his fault"

"No. But he is a danger to our group, who knows who he will attack next"

"He was being controlled Cloud! And even through all of that he still saved me from Loz"

"He was just killing for the sake of it you just happened to benefit from it"

"Cloud I would have thought you of all people would understand what it's like to be controlled like a puppet"

There, she had said it; she had used the taboo word 'puppet' any hopes that had lingered in her heart about a possible relationship with Cloud were destroyed with that one word.

Cloud looked shocked then disgusted, his face hardened

"I do know Tifa… exactly what it is like to be a puppet of JENOVA, of Sephiroth… I don't care anymore. But if 'Carl' decides to attack us again then I won't hesitate"

"You're so stubborn Cloud! Fine! But I won't hesitate to stop you"

Cloud turned and walked away leaving Tifa to feel cold. She swallowed the emotions raging inside her and busied herself with the task at hand. She leant over Carl and draped his coat over him. A wet droplet appeared on it and angrily Tifa brushed a hand across her face to stop the tears from falling. She took a second to swallow her emotions, she clenched a fist when she thought about Cloud. Nanaki woke up and slowly limped over, he sat, looked guiltily down at his paws and without another word went in search of pieces of debris to make a shelter. The hail had eased to a gentle snow. Tifa glanced as she noticed the red staining the snow. It had taken Tifa that long to notice that neither Carl nor Avarice's wounds were healing maybe they had to be awake. Tifa gently shook Carl in an effort to wake him but he remained totally unresponsive. A slight panic came crawling up her skin. She shook him harder calling his name but he didn't even stir.

"He won't wake up human, quit trying"

"Why? Is he in a coma?"

"In a way, he expended a lot of energy and it would seem that he may have taken in Sephiroth's voice. Also I drained his remaining power to make him change back"

"When will he wake up?"

"Who knows? I don't really care he is just a worthless mutt that I owe a debt to"

"He is your brother!"

"Fury is my brother not the human abomination" she sat up "I tire of this conversation"

She wrenches a few wooden fence posts out of the ground then breathes on them. The posts instantly ignite. Tifa watched as Avarice reached into the fire, she brought out a handful of fire and started applying it to her wounds. Avarice looked up and Tifa saw that her eyes were a deep purple colour. Was this Avarice's other self? Her non-Weapon self?


	20. Chapter 20 The Human Condition

**this is a very special chapter... the twentienth chapter! i feel like i should say something profound. ORANGE. THAT IS ALL...**

"It has been a long time since I have seen him have a nightmare" Avarice commented as Tifa arrived back with the hopelessly broken Cait Sith. Vincent had woken a short while before and was remaining silent, no doubt brooding on the latest events. Tifa glanced down at Carl who now that Avarice mentioned it was muttering something in his sleep. Avarice had told them not to move him closer to the fire since his healing ability would be impaired, so they had rolled him onto his coat and into the makeshift shelter they had built. Avarice studied him quietly.

"He looked so peaceful a minute ago"

"He may look peaceful but he is more lucid then you think"

She raised a hand and with sudden speed grabbed his shoulder urgently saying

"Quick brother she is coming!"

Instantaneously in his sleep Carl grabbed the clawed hand and the area around them froze. At the edges of the ice spikes raised up dangerously creating a makeshift cage. Avarice laughed cruelly and melted the ice. Carl seemed to have fallen back into his nightmare.

"I remember the first time I did that to him ha. The idiot lets his nightmares get the best of him"

"What do you mean?"

Avarice smiled

"We used to have a mind reader in our group; before he was killed he noticed that 'Carl' seemed to be plagued by nightmares. When he read his mind he said to us that in his nightmare a little girl called out to him and said 'quick brother she is coming' but he couldn't get anymore because he suddenly seemed to be locked out of 'Carl's' mind. So I decided to play a prank on him and much the same happened"

"That was cruel and to read his mind when he is asleep is just wrong you should have just asked him"

"We did ask him but he said it wasn't important"

"Well still, you shouldn't have done that it is like… reading someone's diary!"

Avarice looked lazily at her

"I don't care"

Tifa was about to say something she might regret when Vincent cut across her.

"Why would he have nightmares about a little girl?"

Avarice shrugs.

"Maybe it was someone he used to know… it isn't as if he would tell me"

"Someone he used to know?"

"Yeah could be, he never told us anything about it though" she looked silently into the fire "Gluttony… it always trouble him after that, till his death"

Vincent remained silent as usual and Tifa wasn't keen to say anything but Avarice continued.

"he used to say that, it wasn't Fury locking him out it was as if the planet itself prevented him from seeing anymore" she looked at Carl "I wonder what he could possibly be hiding… and that was before…"

She stopped talking and blinked "why am I even talking to you? Human scum at least that SOLDIER is gone, I couldn't stand his stink"

Vincent looked at Tifa

"Where is Cloud?"

Tifa remembered belatedly that Vincent had been unconscious for that fiasco, looking at him now, he looked more tired then usual.

"We had a fight and… I called him… he left" momentary guilt was replaced by anger "he wanted to get rid of Carl he was deliberately twisting what happened against him. He is just so stubborn!"

Vincent regarded her with an impassive expression but said nothing, his body ached with every movement and he badly needed sleep but he was kept wide awake by Avarice's presence. Not because he found her unnerving, it was more like Chaos was excited to be around her, it was an odd sensation. Chaos was giving him a running commentary on how many massacres she had carried out, it was probably the most talkative the demon had been in recent history. Usually after a battle Chaos would hardly speak but right now Vincent was certain that the only reason he hadn't transformed back into Chaos to shake Avarices hand was because Chaos was too weak from being defeated. A particularly gruesome image came into his mind as Chaos described how Avarice had wiped out a forest tribe known as 'Sotans' many years before. Another problem with sharing his mind with another being was Chaos' almost immaculate memory and ability to create all too vivid images in his head. This particularly bloody image excited the other demons in his head and he had to struggle to remain in control of his body. Grimacing he managed to lock the demons out by creating a mental image of a stone wall around himself.

He looked up to see Avarice staring at him, careful not to meet her gaze he looked at the ground in front of her.

"So you are Chaos' host"

He had to focus hard on not moving, as mentally Chaos shot upright in his head, as a result he tensed. Avarice laughed

"No need to be afraid… I was just interested after I saw him fighting Fury, amazing speed I could barely keep track of him"

Vincent had too stop his senses from being over ridden by Chaos, who was fighting for control. Tifa seemed to notice Vincent's discomfort and decided to distract Avarice.

"So you haven't ever seen Chaos before now?"

Avarice turned and shook her head.

"No, I may have been around for a very long time but during the last cleansing I was asleep deep within the planet. I would have loved to see Chaos at work at end times, simply breath taking… I have no doubt that his defeat today was only because of his human element. I'm sure in his pure form Chaos would be undefeatable"

Vincent finally managed with great difficulty to subdue Chaos; he could almost hear the hum of the proto-materia working overtime in his ears.

Vincent found it disturbing to experience second hand admiration from Chaos, especially when said admiration was for things such as 'precise cutting technique' or 'innate understanding of anatomy' it was strange even by his standards. Barret appeared out of the gloom caring a bundle of sticks he dropped them next to the fire and sat between Tifa and Vincent. He glanced at Vincent who was still grimacing as Chaos ranted inside his head

"what's up wi' you?" he waited a second then said "ah wait, I bet Chaos is fuming about getting its ass handed to it by Fury"

Vincent felt a sudden surge of anger from Chaos and dipped his head lower into his mantle to hide his face.

Barret seemed to sense the mood; he looked between Tifa, Vincent and Avarice then said.

"Gee did someone die while I went to get the fuel?" no one said anything, he beat his chest "why is everyone being so quiet!?"

"Because you're being noisy enough for all of us! Do you really have to shout right in my ear? I swear you have no spatial awareness"

"I ain't needed no special awareness, but I'm glad ta see some'n talking, where did Red run off ta?"

"He went for a walk; I think he is a bit shaken from being controlled"

"I find it troubling too"

They all looked at Avarice.

"These remnants… they are stronger then the others, they seem to have the ability to assimilate WEAPONS' powers by killing them. Antimony's power isn't the only one they took either… did you see how the Lifestream reacted when I killed that remnant? It rejoined with the other one. Gluttony had the power to collect Lifestream; he could consume it or put it into a new body."

"Do you mean?"

"Yes" she looked at Vincent who quickly averted his gaze "the remnants we destroyed today will more than likely be reborn"

Tifa had filled a cooking pot and now put it over the fire on a makeshift stand, she looked up and wiped a hand across her forehead

"Is Carl going to be alright? Will Sephiroth be able to do anything to him?"

"It is hard to say, Sephiroth managed to maintain his individuality in the Lifestream long before JENOVA touched Fury. Usually a soul would be swept up by the current of the Lifestream and just become something without its own identity, just part of the current. However when Sephiroth returned to the Lifestream his hatred was too strong to be dispersed. Since that point in time there have been a build up of souls that are unable to move on, choking the Lifestream. Fury's ability allows him to establish a link with spirits that have usually already been dispersed by subconsciously sending memories for the spirits to latch onto and re-establish their individuality. Sephiroth never dispersed into the Lifestream; instead he built his core on hatred for the one who delivered his death blow. I would say that as long as the SOLDIER stays away Sephiroth won't be strong enough to over power him. Or at least that would be my best guess, with humans being such vile weak creatures maybe 'Carl' will just give in"

She sneered, looking at Carl with contempt.

"Why do you hate him so much?"

"Why indeed… I hate all things human or half human, none of you deserve to live and when the planet gives the order I will not hesitate to slaughter you all… for now I have a use for you, these remnants need to be stopped for the good of the planet. Even if it means working with you monkeys"

"You 'ave issues… serious, deep rooted issues, you're like a freakin' ex-wife from hell"

Avarice snarled with annoyance

"Don't lower me to your level you Snickers advert reject"

"Wah the hell!? Get your head outta the lingerie store Scales"

"She said 'Snickers' not 'Knickers' Barret"

"She ain't wearin' any"

Vincent sighed and stood up walking away, casually as he left he said

"You have two ears and one mouth for a reason"

"What that 'sposed to mean vampy?"

**Ha-ha thought I would add a little humor, after all that depressing, serious stuff. Special thanks to my fantastic reviewers. Here is a little Irish blessing just for you**

**Go n-eiri an bothar leat.**

**(With fodas on the 'I' and second o)**

**May the road rise with you.**

**May your day be touched**

**By a bit of Irish luck,**

**Brightened by a song in**

**Your heart,**

**And warmed by the smiles**

**Of the people you love**

**There I hope you all feel very lucky now, thank you again for sticking with me this far.**


	21. Chapter 21 Caged Bird

He knew he was dreaming… that same dream. The one he could never wake from or change, the one that the planet screamed at him to forget about but was unable. The one so real it was like a memory…

It was a cold morning, snow covered the ground, he looked around and saw a hut with an animal skin draped over the doorway. He entered, gently parting the skin, a women sat inside, she had long brown hair and eyes, she smiled. She had been sewing but put down her work and stood up.

"Look at you, I suspect you spent too long outside, you look absolutely frozen" she wrapped an arm around him and lead him to a small table, she put a bowl of stew before him and hummed as he ate.

"Big day tomorrow, Cyan has been chatting my ear off"

He stopped eating

"I wish dad could see me"

"He will. From the Lifestream, he will always be watching over you"

"I wish… I wish I could talk to him again"

"One day we will"

She smiled at him. The dream blurred and moved on. Again he was standing outside in the snow, this time he could feel blood running down his back and saw it staining the snow at his feet. Someone pulled his hand up and he saw a crowd of people cheering.

"From now on your title will be 'White Wolf' because like the wolf you are loyal, fierce and strong. You work with the group, and will be a new valued member to the hunt *isenvlak un snare!*" everyone cheered "and as well as this you are pure, like the snow at our feet *isenvlak un snare!*" the crowd cheered again and the dream blurred again. This time a little girl with brown hair and eyes was holding onto his arm while he sat at a table.

"Did it hurt brother?"

"A little"

"You're so brave; I never would be able to endure all of this"

"You won't have to Cyan, you're a girl. Only hunters have to get coming of age tattoos"

A man rushed into the hut and bowed

"I'm sorry my lady but something has appeared in the sky"

They stepped outside and looked up, a blue light in the sky heading straight toward them

"What is it?"

"Some sort of asteroid, heading toward us"

The dream blurred again and as it blurred he heard the voice of the little girl

"What is it mother?"

"Will it hurt the planet when it lands?"

"Are we going to die?"

"Big brother can you stop it?"

"I'm scared"

Suddenly he was standing over a crater, a group of people around him, the woman from before was going deeper inside.

"There is someone inside… they are injured"

She reached a hand into a rock-like shell, a blue hand met it and she pulled the alien creature free of the wreckage. Some of the hunters helped and soon the blue woman was inside one of the huts.

She resembled the woman from before but her hair was shorter and white, she had blue skin and red-pink eyes that glowed. The woman sat down beside her and handed her a bowl of soup.

"My name is Yarrow what is yours"

The blue women stared then slowly started to speak but Carl didn't here the words.

The dream blurred again and Carl's mind filled with dread.

Laying down in bed, someone rushes in, he sits up and the stranger says

"I'm sorry but lady Yarrow and hunter White-Wolf we need you. Everyone is being transformed into…" the man gasped and Carl notices the blood pouring from his wounded arm.

"You're hurt let us heal you" he says taking a step forward but the man backs away.

"No don't, it's too late for me just listen" he takes a deep breath steadying himself against the door.

"The newcomer, she turned against us, she offered us a gift around the camp fire, she said it was from her land a special power to help them stay connected and stronger. She gave it to us but then, they started changing into beasts. Everyone they attack changes too" he gags and rocks slowly "even I got infected, look" he held out his arm and they could see the point around the wound had started to turn blue. "I don't know how much longer I have but you must flee before it is too late" he collapsed against the door frame. Taking a sword from his scabbard he thrust it into his heart. "Go now my lady" he whispered.

The dream blurred again. They were running, he was holding Cyan's hand and half dragging her along. Orange flames had engulfed the village and made the snow shine. Screams and wails came from the village and chocoboes ran amongst the flames looking for their masters. They ran until they could barely hear the screams… but in the silence heard a new noise. It seemed that the 'gift' could also be passed on to beasts, a huge wild fang jumped from a ledge followed by a pack. They were all icy blue and mad with the infection, they growled and snarled snapping their powerful jaws together. Cyan buried her face in his side. He let go of her hand drawing his knives, five blades in each hand.

"Mother I can distract them you and Cyan get away"

"No we will fight together; I will not abandon my children"

She reached up and untied the ribbon in her hair, she took a small white orb and tossed it to Cyan, who caught it and Yarrow said "I wanted to give that to you when you were older; you have to look after it okay? It is a gift from the planet and is very special to our people"

Cyan nodded and held tightly to the orb, one of the wild fangs made a swipe at them, as it dived forward he drove one of his blades through the creatures spine killing it instantly.

"I see you have earned your title my son, The White Wolf"

She took her staff and hit one of the wild fangs in the face. The battle quickly became fiercer and more bodies were piling up, the largest wild fang hung back, intelligence still lurked within its insanity, and it withdrew climbing back up the ledge. When no one was looking its way it pounced, Yarrow looked to see the creature heading toward him. He turned ready to fight but already seeing the battle was over for him. Just as the fang was about to land on him, Yarrow threw herself at him, he fell to the ground and Yarrow took the blow. Pinned under the creature the other remaining fangs started to close in, he got to his feet and made to attack the fang.

"No don't" he saw the wound in her shoulder, an angry red bite mark already turning blue.

"Just run, take Cyan and run"

"But mother"

"You are The White Wolf and my son, I order you as your mother and leader of the clan to take your sister and leave"

He nodded and grabbed Cyan's hand, he turned to run and heard Yarrow say softly

"And remember I will always love you both"

Tears burned his eyes but he ran with Cyan. The snow was slippy terrain to negotiate but they managed to stay on their feet. At one point they slipped and looked back, the fangs had become distracted by a few other animals and villagers but crawling toward them with jittery motions was Yarrow.

"Quick brother she is coming"

He dragged her away running with renewed strength lent to him by his fear.

"What about mother!? She's sick"

"I know, but you've been sick before and always gotten better"

"Yeah… but-"

"We will see her again one day, but right now she has ordered us to run"

"I'm scared"

"Me too… but I will keep you safe… I promise"

In the half light they saw a cliff face in the distance, behind them the howls of the wild fangs had started up. Apparently they were on the trail again, in that second he made up his mind, they ran to the cliff face and he grabbed Cyan by the waist and lifted her onto the ledge above him.

"What are you doing brother?"

"Follow the tunnel to the other village and tell elder Arabith what has happened"

"What about you?"

He shook his head

"The tunnel is too small for me but you will be fine"

"Will I see you again?"

"Yes. One day, now go" she nodded and crawled into the tunnel.

He turned wearily, ready for death. He took one of his knives from his sleeve, taking ten paces forward he looked back the way they had come and saw the wild fangs heading toward him. He took a moment then drew the blade across his wrist, blood poured onto the snow and he started to run. He followed the cliff face, leading the fangs far away from Cyan, his vision quickly became distorted, he didn't want to die; he was just starting to realise how strongly he wanted to survive. Coward, he told himself, he had lost too much blood to carry on, he saw a small crack in the cliff; it was just wide enough for him to fit through. Inside was a small cave, he took a moment to sit, his back against the wall. He tore his shirt and wrapped it around the wound, outside he heard the wild fangs trying to claw their way inside. He looked around the small cave as it began to shake, rocks fell covering the exit, he heard the distinct yelp of one of the wild fangs getting crushed and everything was plunged into darkness. Slowly he got up from the ground, was this cave fated to be his tomb? He could almost feel the darkness pressing in on him. What would he die of first? Blood loss, lack of oxygen or maybe he would go mad and take his own life. The scratching started again; the wild fangs were digging into the cliff face. It would seem he had a fourth way to die. He sat down in the cold cave and awaited death. Hours past and despite the terror he felt, he just hoped Cyan was safe. He couldn't bring himself to end his life, it seemed too cowardly… but the alternative.

He wished he could have saved his mother, the village, if his father was watching he would surely be disappointed. He wished a lot of things. The fangs were starting to get through; a little light penetrated the cave. He could see his reflection in the ice in front of him, all covered in blood. The boy in the reflection had brown eyes and hair and his lip was bleeding but otherwise looked exactly like Carl did now. He could hear the planet crying out for all the death. He wanted revenge on the blue woman.

"Curse you, I curse you, and I wish I could be the one to kill you"

He sensed the planets approval, his only comfort in the half light.

The fangs outside became more frenzied at the sound of his voice.

"It looks like I will be seeing father sooner than I thought, mother too… I wish I didn't have to die… here, alone" the first fang came inside the small cave and he brought his knife down on its neck.

"Live on little sister *isenvlak un snare!*"

Another fang entered the cave and he sliced through it bringing more of his knives into his hands. He felt himself growing weaker and knew he couldn't hold out for much longer, hope was beginning to spark in his chest as no fang came. After a few seconds the largest fang squeezed into the cave but became wedged in the doorway, it would have been comical if it wasn't so scary. It was large enough to be able to reach him anywhere he stepped in the small cave, he tried to attack but the fang batted him aside and clawed down his back. He cried out in pain as it raked across his coming of age tattoos, he forced himself to his feet careful to avoid those snapping jaws. He threw one of his knives blindly, it hit the fang in the eye, the creature bellowed with rage but he took advantage of its momentary blindness and drove his knife into its brain. The creature slumped. Hope rose in his chest as he saw a small gap above the creature; if he dug a little he might be able to escape. A scratching noise outside followed by a gasping hiss made his blood run cold, Yarrow crawled slowly on her belly through the gap, her skin was blue and eyes unseeing but very much alive. She had been driven insane by the infection too, she turned and crawled toward him, he backed up until he hit the wall. How could he fight her? His mother! the woman who had raised him. He felt like sobbing, it was like a horror show, he couldn't take it.

"Kill me"

He blinked; Yarrow had spoken her face contorted with the agony from her current state.

He remained motionless.

"That was an order White-Wolf, KILL ME!"

The sudden loudness of her shriek as she flung herself at him made, his instincts react before his mind could even process what was happening. He cut across her throat killing her instantly, her body landed with a dull thud and he stared in shock. He drop his knives

"No… what have I?" he collapsed the full horror of the situation finishing him off. He lay there staring at the corpse in the gloom, he reached out a hand and held hers, he knew he was dying, he had lost too much blood and the only thing that had been keeping him alive was his willpower.

Everything faded into darkness…

Carl felt a familiar numbness as the dream faded… followed by a familiar question. Nightmare… or memory?


	22. Chapter 22 Recovery

Pain seeped through his skin, until his very bones seemed to protest in agony. Slowly he opened his eyes, the dream was still fresh in his mind but the planet shrieked at him to forget it… but how could he? He didn't have a clear memory of what had happened to him but felt a number of wounds up his body, he could feel Lifestream healing them slowly. He moved his head so he could see upwards and froze, Avarice was sitting a few feet away from him, it took him a few seconds to realise she was asleep. He relaxed and slowly sat up, wincing with pain, every muscle in his body felt like it had been shredded.

"Carl" he turned his head, sending a spasm of pain down his neck.

"Tifa"

He couldn't see her, his eyes had yet to adjust to the bright fire light. He saw a movement and suddenly she was next to him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine… what happened?"

"You… you don't remember?"

"No… the last thing I remember is…" he thought about it but his memory was murky. He suddenly remembered the remnant about to kill Tifa, "are you okay? The remnant didn't hurt you?"

"No… you or maybe… saved me"

He blinked, trying to remember what had happened, fitting the pieces together in his head; his face fell as he suddenly understood.

"Oh… I transformed didn't I?"

Tifa nodded, he swallowed, unable to look at her for all the guilt and shame he felt.

"I … I didn't, hurt you did I?" he dreaded the answer

"No you saved me from Loz"

"I'm so sorry… I had hoped… you wouldn't have to see me that way"

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder

"It's okay, we had this whole thing before with Vincent and it hasn't changed a thing."

Carl felt a horrible ache deep inside him that he recognized as Fury.

"I will try harder in future to keep a better hold of him"

"It wasn't you're fault, Yazoo was controlling you"

He remained silent, Tifa looked at him, he had his hands crossed over his knees and he was leaning forward. She caught a glimpse of the scar across his wrist, the same one she had noticed the first night he had walked into the bar. To her it looked self inflicted, was it possible that Carl had tried to take his own life in the past? He caught her looking and let his gaze stray to the scar.

"Every time I look at this scar the planet shrieks at me not to… sometimes it is like a physical pain just to look at"

"How did you get it?"

"I… am uncertain; it looks self inflicted, from the angle. If I had to guess I would say a hunting knife"

"You don't remember how it happens?"

"I didn't say that, I am just uncertain if my memory is the truth, which would be impossible…"

"Why would it be impossible?"

He paused and looked at her, he could hear the planet shouting at him to forget but this only strengthened his suspicion.

"If I am correct, it would mean that I was human before I was a WEAPON. It would mean I became a WEAPON which is impossible… we were created by the planet, from the planet, to serve the planet"

"But you suspect it is the truth… otherwise you wouldn't remember it"

"Indeed… the planet doesn't want me to remember, why?"

"Is that why you have nightmares? You think they might be your human memories"

"Yes… but I could be tricking myself… where's Cloud? I can't sense his presence"

"We had a fight and he ran off."

"Oh… nothing too serious I hope, you two have known each other for a very long time"

"I suppose we have"

"I'm sure he will come around and apologise for what ever he did"

"I hope so" she loved how he automatically assumed Cloud was in the wrong.

"If you don't mind me asking… why is Avarice asleep over there?"

Tifa giggled at Carl's semi confused, semi horrified face.

She quickly summarized how she and Barret had set Avarice free to help them kill the remnants.

"That was risky… I wouldn't have been able to protect you… in the state I was in." a memory flashed in his mind, Chaos falling from the sky. He rubbed his head and frowned as memories began to fall into place.

"Is Vincent okay…? I think… did I attack him?"

"When he was Chaos you attacked him but all his wounds are healed when he transforms back"

"I see, I should find him and apologize" he went to move but the pain made him stop "in a while"

Tifa looked concerned

"Are you in much pain?"

He found it bordering on disturbing, that Tifa could still remain concerned for his wellbeing, after seeing him transformed. She truly was a remarkable person, or else just exceedingly strange.

"I'll be fine, just a side effect from… transforming"

"Well here" she reached into her back pack and produced a small bottle of pain killers "these shouldn't hurt you should they? They don't heal anything"

"They should be fine… thank you" he accepted the pill and swallowed it wondering if it would effect his body at all. He was surprised when the pain faded entirely.

"It worked! I feel a lot better thank you Tifa"

Without the pain distracted him he noticed something, a new presence in his mind. Fear gripped him, how had this happened? He slumped down very suddenly.

"Carl what happened? Was it the painkillers? I'm sorry"

"No… I… did… when… did JENOVA touch me?"

"You can sense Sephiroth? When you were fighting, JENOVA cracked your armor…"

Carl took a long steady breath; the thought of having Sephiroth inside his head was just too vile to comprehend. He felt like he should scream but didn't, getting a tight hold of his sanity he tried sense Sephiroth again. Instantly he saw those catlike eyes inside his head. It was so horrifying that he pulled away physically.

"This is awful… Sephiroth!?"

He stated, Tifa looked at him cautiously

"Is he trying to do anything to you?"

Carl stopped and thought about it. No, Sephiroth's presence was weak… well weaker than he would have expected it to be, why? Something clicked into place, the JENOVA part had never come into contact with the real Sephiroth. JENOVA was an alien, its body was different and there were different rules to how it affected him, these particular cells had never actually met him. Somehow he had taken in a spirit without any memories of Sephiroth himself. The harder he thought about it the less sense it made unless…

"It was a trap for me… they planned to use me"

Those JENOVA genes had come from Kadaj when he absorbed Yazoo and Loz; they had an artificial love of Sephiroth given to them by the remnants. Apparently they were a separate entity in their own right.

But Sephiroth wasn't any stronger than any spirit in his head; he could sense his will but didn't sense any power behind it. There must be something that the remnants didn't count on, something Sephiroth was relying on… Cloud, Sephiroth's pure hatred of Cloud is what allowed him to interfere with the physical world from the Lifestream; he had maintained his individuality long before Carl had touched JENOVA. He remember how Grimoire had possessed him around Vincent, he had been strengthen by his voice. It would be the same with Cloud, when he returned, Sephiroth would become stronger. He felt Fury's presence, somehow different from before. He didn't focus on it any longer because he could see the concern written across Tifa's face. She was worried by the glazed look in his eye; it was like he wasn't really there at all.

"Sorry, got wrapped up in my own thoughts, I'm fine, it's fine, and I'll be fine"

"You use 'fine' too often, I take it to mean that you're not actually 'fine', you're allowed to panic a little"

"I only panic on occasion"

"Oh really? And if this doesn't warrant panic what does? There must be something that frightens you"

He blinked, was she really asking what he was afraid of? That was probably the most personal question anyone had ever asked him… should he answer? Tifa didn't seem to be the kind of person who would use something like that against him, he trusted her.

"How about being trapped somewhere small?"

"I think I still rate Sephiroth above that"

"I didn't say I wasn't panicked by the whole… Sephiroth thing"

He remembered the cave, the fangs digging into the blocked exit. He forced himself to stop as he felt a physical pain behind his eyes, as the planet shrieked at him to forget it.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fi-" he stopped when he saw Tifa's face "no" he sighed, he pinched the bridge of his nose, the harder he tried not to remember the dream, the more it stuck in his head.

"Why would the planet try to make you forget?"

Oh she was sharp, he couldn't help but think, or was that him? He drove Fury's invasive presence away from him, he felt slightly disgusted but also worried, he hadn't even noticed Fury seeping into his consciousness.

"I don't know… maybe she thinks I will turn against her, I fail to see why but maybe"

He lay back in the snow and looked up at the stars.

"When you were having a nightmare… you looked really… young"

"Hmm?"

"It was like you were different, the same person but different"

"…well WEAPONS aren't supposed to have nightmares… maybe I was just scared"

He surprised himself by saying that, he almost never admitted being afraid. It was easy to feel at ease around Tifa, she was a natural mother but also a brave comrade in arms.

"Maybe that was it, everyone gets scared sometimes"

"Did I… scare you when I… transformed?"

She seemed to think about it, she smiled, startling Carl.

"Maybe a little, somehow… I knew you wouldn't hurt me, even when I couldn't… see you… I just knew"

"That makes one of us"

"I was worried though, when Yazoo was forcing you to transform, you just looked like you were fighting so hard and there was nothing I could do to help"

He looked at her carefully; he wasn't sure how he was meant to react to that.

"There isn't anything anyone can do for me… when I'm like that, except get away"

"You really are conflicted with yourself…"

"Yeah… I suppose that's true"

Tifa paused, he could tell she was thinking of something troubling her, she suddenly looked at him with those wide brown eyes.

"How much of Fury is actually you?"

He was stunned, it was a question he tried to avoid but had crossed his mind before.

"I don't know Tifa… I would like to think none of him. I would we were two separate beings but…" he sighed and sat up "I don't think that is right"

"Your eyes… they were so different, I couldn't see you but I knew you were there"

"…I remember… I killed that remnant"

"Yes… even when you had transformed"

"I don't remember much else; though I think Chaos might have shot me"

"Well you did attack him, it wouldn't exactly be surprising"

Carl chuckled, it sounded a little strange, Tifa smiled along with him, he looked so different when he smiled, not as tired.

"He will probably get me back for that later"

"Oh I doubt that, Vincent has a pretty tight hold on him"

"Yes… I suppose he does"

He stop smiling, thinking deeply about something.

"What are you thinking?"

"Oh nothing, just the little girl… Marlene?"

"Yeah? What about her?"

"She just looks a lot like someone I knew, is she yours?"

"No, she is adopted… I just look after her and Denzel, Barret is her father but he has been busy… since Shinra's downfall people have needed a new energy source and since it used to be coal, Barret wants to try and put Corel back on the map"

"She looks a lot like you"

"You think so? I suppose I might rub off on her a little"

"She was very talkative in comparison to Denzel"

"Denzel is very shy, especially recently… he had geostigma"

"I see… my memory is hazy around that time, I'm not sure if I was awake"

"When the planet doesn't need you it puts you too sleep?"

"Yes and no, we could still go places but we would be forbidden to interfere… though in the past WEAPONS have tried but it has only ever ended in suffering"

"Like a curse?"

"It would seem that way"

There was a brief silence, broken only by Barret's heavy snoring, Tifa looked at Carl, who was looking at the stars in wonder, and she smiled

"Glad to see you haven't climbed up the nearest tree"

"Yeah, apart from the fact I don't think I could right now, I wouldn't want to leave you alone with her (nodding at Avarice) anyway"

"Why does she hate you so much?"

"Because he is a murder"

Avarice opened her ultra-violet eyes, and looked at Carl who remained impassive. Tifa saw how Carl's face had instantly set when he heard Avarice speak.

"A mastermind of hatred! A snake in the grass! A rotten apple"

She turned away and moved further away from Tifa and Carl. Carl remained silent, lying back in the snow, he sighed. Tifa wondered who Carl had killed that had enraged Avarice so much…


	23. Chapter 23 What Needed To Be Said

**im posting this early because i might not be able to post tomorrow. enjoy and dont forget to review!**

Carl had managed to escape Tifa, who it seemed, was determined to fuss over his well being; it was a new and somewhat unsettling sensation. However, he felt obligated to find Vincent and apologise to him, he dreaded how Vincent might react to him. He saw Vincent a short way away, his vision at night far better than in day, Vincent tilted his head slightly and Carl knew that Vincent knew he was there. He carried on walking until he was standing beside Vincent, who was sitting at the base of a tree and looking toward the swamp.

"I, ah… wanted to apologise"

"…what for?"

Carl was so startled by the reply he had to do a double take, Vincent's expression was as impassive as ever and he hadn't even looked at him when he spoke.

"For… attacking you"

"You didn't attack me, Yazoo forced Fury to attack Chaos… neither of us were involved"

"I hadn't thought of it like that…"

Vincent didn't reply he just looked up to the stars; it was peaceful, not having to hold up a conversation.

"I heard you talking to Tifa" before Carl could ask how he made a vague gesture toward his head "or rather, Chaos did"

In the distance but still too close for comfort, there was the distinct bark of wild fangs, Carl stiffened at the noise. Vincent hadn't looked in his direction but turned his head to look at Carl.

"You're afraid of them?"

Carl couldn't deny it; Vincent's piercing red eyes could not be lied to.

"Yes" he said simply, Vincent looked back in the direction of the noise.

"It is good to be afraid… it's one of the things that makes us human…"

"But I'm not human"

"Why?"

"Well because I am a WEAPON, a monster, an imitation of humanity"

"Do you believe that?"

"Yes… I don't know"

Vincent paused, his expression unreadable even to Carl.

"Do you think I am human?"

"Of course you are human!"

"And yet, inside me there is a WEAPON and three monsters and I am an aberration of my original self… what makes us so different?"

Carl didn't know how to respond and a whine had started in his head as the planet tried to block out what Vincent was saying. He shook his head, it wasn't true, and his humanity was a dream, a trick nothing more. Was that what he thought? Or was that the planet, manipulating his emotions? It was a hard subject, not only did it cause him pain to think about but he didn't know what he thought about it! Or even how he felt about it.

"The difference between us? You have memories of being human, I have a dream!"

He hadn't meant to sound angry but he had been so confused, Fury had taken the chance to play with his emotions.

Vincent acted as if nothing had happened, he was good at that, infuriatingly so or maybe… was it just understanding?

"You are the only one who can know for sure…" Vincent got up; walking past Carl he stopped "but… I know this much; monsters don't dream" he carried on walking, his cloak floating out behind him; it gave him the appearance of a wraith or some other spirit of the night.

"That was nicely said human" Vincent's head snapped to the right to see Avarice "but there is one thing that doesn't add up…"

"…"

Avarice unfurled herself and slid fluidly over to Vincent, where she slunk uncomfortably close, her tail effectively blocking his escape path.

"Carl is just like the rest of us… but he is the only one to have nightmares, if Carl was a human wouldn't I have been a dragon?"

"Unless you were always a monster" Vincent turned away from Avarice, who unfortunately, remained persistently following him.

"What makes me a monster? I feel love and pain, sadness, just like everyone else…"

"And you ignore them, choosing hatred instead" he turned to her, meeting her gaze for the first time "I have lived with hatred Avarice, I would not recommend it"

She seemed stunned, this man was no mere mortal, and he spoke with a wisdom that she hadn't heard in many years.

"And what would you… recommend?"

"That you find a better path… otherwise your anger will destroy you"

"This? Coming from the host of Chaos, never have I been so enthralled by the words of a human!" she stared into Vincent's eyes "and never has a mortal met my gaze for so long as you, extraordinary"

Vincent turned, his cape rose up behind him in a red tide and he walked away. She called after him

"And what about you… you said fear was part of being human, what are you afraid of?"

Vincent didn't answer but his steps did falter slightly.

"Are you afraid of me human?"

"Petrified¿" Vincent replied with no shortage of sarcasm.

After he was gone Avarice looked in Fury's direction, maybe Chaos' host had been right… hate was tiring… but how could she forgive him? She looked up at the stars and picked out a constellation known as 'The Great Bahumut Wyvern' her purple eyes prickled and she was surprised by the warm droplets. She looked up again, seeking guidance from the spirits, she saw a streak of white in the sky; a shooting star.

"Chloe…"

She whispered.

She remembered the day she had first seen that constellation, Cosmo Canyon with Chloe seventeen years ago.

"Avarice look! Oh look, the meteor shower is so beautiful"

"You are so easily amused"

"No your just boring!"

"Oh really?"

Avarice wrapped a playful tail around the girl, hoisting her into her lap and tickling her.

"Mercy! Ha stop! Ha I'm too old for this!"

"Humph, is anyone ever too old to be tickled?"

"Oh wow did you see that one?"

"Yes very pretty"

"You don't sound very impressed"

"As long as they aren't big and red and about to drop on my head, I don't mind"

"I still think it is cool"

"Look down there, those people are dancing around the Cosmo Canyon Candle"

"They are awful close to it"

"Why would you be afraid to be that close?"

"Well I wouldn't want to get burned"

"Fire is beautiful"

"You're only saying that because it's your element!"

"Well your precious stars are burning balls of gas"

"What!? Really?"

"Well what did you think it was?

"Lifestream circling other planets"

"Hmmm, makes sense"

"You see that one over there"

"What?"

"That constellation, that's the Great Bahumut Wyvern"

"Oh really?"

"Yep, mum used to tell me the story"

"…how did it go?"

"It was so long ago… I don't really remember, there was a princess who got lost and lots of people were trying to help her. She got tricked into delivering a message to Bahumut, the people were actually trying to send her to her death so that the Wyvern would leave. When she arrived she was frightened but still gave the message to the wyvern. He read it and realised the people had tricked the girl. The wyvern was angry and told the girl of the treachery, and then he flew off in a rage to destroy the town."

"So how did it end?"

"I think the princess, stops the wyvern and protects the towns people and the wyvern is so impressed by her kindness that it bless' her to become a magnificent queen and when she died to become a jewel in the Lifestream"

"Huh a strange story… for a strange girl"

"Says you!"

They had laughed so hard, playing and smiling watching the stars, maybe the moral of Chloe's story had been forgiveness, maybe it wasn't so strange after all…

Vincent sat down next to the camp fire, Nanaki had returned but remained silent, and it seemed they both had something to think about.

*and what about you… what are you afraid of?*

Vincent thought about his nightmares, his memories… was he afraid of failure or was he afraid of himself? Maybe he was afraid of loosing the people he loved…

Everyone is afraid of something; it is how they deal with that fear, do they overcome it? Or are they ruled by it?


	24. Chapter 24 Sinister Soul

**this might have a few errors because i didnt get a chance to proof read it but i might not be able to update for a few days so i thought i would throw it up so you had something to keep you going**

**LLL to all of you for reading this far**

Carl felt as though he had only just fallen asleep, when he felt something hit him very hard across the head, the initial pain and surprise were delayed a few seconds by the fog of sleep. He opened his eyes to find himself on the floor, strange he was sure he had climbed the tree, not wanting to return to camp after talking with Vincent. He sat up and tried to understand what had happened, had he fallen out of the tree? He couldn't see the tree, where was he? His eyes picked out an ultraviolet light

"Avarice?"

She stepped forward out of the gloom a strange expression on her face

"Why did you knock me out of the tree?"

"You weren't in a tree…"

"What? Where am I? Is this a joke Avarice?"

Her face was set as she stared at Carl, he didn't like it, he saw something close to pity in her eyes.

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation"

"What do you mean?" Avarice came forward grabbing his arm and pulling him toward then swamp, which to his surprise was only a few yards away. She drop him at the side of the murky water, she swept away the green weeds until there was a clean patch of water in front of him.

"Look"

He looked down and jumped back in surprise, he looked again and felt sick, surely it was an illusion? He held a hand in front of his face and looked at the black glove, in his peripheral vision he saw strands of white hair. Beyond the water he sensed the presence of many remnants, a single word came to mind; reunion.

"How did this happen?"

"I was watching you, I thought about stopping you but I wanted to see what you were doing… you jumped down from the tree and walked here, just a few minutes ago you started changing into Sephiroth. It looks as though you are changing back now though"

It was true looking down the image of Sephiroth had turned transparent; it was like a layer above him. After a few seconds it was gone entirely, he felt Fury's agitated presence inside him.

"Why did you stop me?"

"Don't read too deeply into it… I just didn't want the enemy to get their hands on you"

"Right… I didn't mean to imply anything else"

"Good because it meant nothing"

Carl couldn't help but smile as Avarice tried not to look at him, the look quickly faded replaced by worry.

"So that's it? When I fall asleep now I'll turn into him?"

"It seems so but if he had any real power over you, wouldn't he have tried to kill your friends?"

"Maybe… but I can't risk this happening again… what can I do?"

"Don't sleep so heavily, next time, I won't stop you"

"Avarice?"

"What?"

"Thank you"

She grumbled something than said

"I didn't do it for you; I just didn't want the remnants to have you"

"I understand"

But he couldn't help but smile, something about Avarice was different, she was more like her old self.

"We should get back; if we run we can be back at camp in a few minutes"

He nodded and both of them bolted back toward camp. They arrive back to find the camp fire somewhat dimmed and Nanaki on watch while the others slept. It seemed even Vincent had taken advantage of Avarice's absence to get some sleep.

"You two have returned" Nanaki said, turning his head so he could see with his good eye

"Yes we-"

"I wanted to talk to 'Carl' alone"

Avarice stated before hurriedly throwing more debris on the fire, she didn't look at either of them. What had come over her?

Nanaki didn't ask questions, he laid down his flaming tail swishing a little, while he stared into the renewed flames. Carl sat cross legged in front of the fire. Without turning his head; he looked at Tifa's sleeping form. Should he tell them what had happened?

**No**

He was startled at Fury's voice, he knew Fury was capable of speech but usually any communication between them was conveyed through images and emotions. Fury's presence somehow felt different, something had changed inside him, what it was, he didn't know.

**This isn't something to talk about with humans…**

**They will push you away…**

**Or they will harm you…**

Why are you afraid?

It was true, Carl felt fear emanating from Fury, it was subtle but certainly there, he hadn't known Fury was capable of fear.

**Afraid?**

**Maybe…**

**I ask you, if Sephiroth rules us, will mother want us?**

…

That was true; if he was taken over by Sephiroth then surely he would become Gaia's greatest enemy. Somehow he felt Fury was withholding something, another reason he was afraid. Fury was afraid, that thought alone made Carl feel cold, it highlighted just how dangerous Sephiroth was.

Fury?

…

Why now? Why are you talking to me now? You didn't speak like this before.

**Before… everything I thought you thought too**

?

**However, now you have separated yourself from me…**

Separated myself from you? How did I do that?

**You no longer believe that we are the same being…**

**You have doubted it for a long time,**

**Now, you actually believe it.**

And is what I believe the truth?

…

**I have lived my whole life inside you…**

**There was nothing before…**

**I cannot be certain**

**However, I believe you are wrong.**

I see… but, if I was wrong, would I be able to separate myself from you?

**Yes**

**The mind knows no limit…**

You are different from before, I can feel it.

What has happened to you?

…

…

…

**Before now, you always thought of me as a demon, a monster**

**Something to be afraid of, without thought just instinct.**

**And…**

**To a degree…**

**That is what I became.**

**Now you think of me as a different being,**

**You compare me to a human and to your self.**

**You now expect thought from me,**

**By doing so,**

**You have given me thought.**

So… just by changing my perception of you… I change you?

So if I believed you didn't you didn't exist you would disappear?

**I do not think that would work…**

**You know I exist**

**It is belief not will.**

But… I still think of you as a monster

**And so you have created one.**

**You should always remember;**

**I am part of you**

Fury's mind withdrew from his own, it was a new and nauseating sensation, and somehow he had given Fury new awareness, a terrifying thought. If Fury was changed by his perceptions did that mean Carl was the one in control? Did it make him the more powerful entity?

**please remember to review! i want to know what people think about Fury/Carl internal dialogue**


	25. Chapter 25 Goddamn Cuppa Tae

"And pass me that doo hickey"

"Here"

"Ah b******s, Denzel go get me some more of these f***ing screws would ya?"

"Yes mister Highwind"

"It's cappin' captain Highwind"

Marlene came into the yard carrying an armful of wrenches and other assorted tools.

"urm captain, I got the effing wrench and the bad word drill, but I couldn't find the piece of s word cross head screw driver"

"That's okay. SHERA! Can you get the cross head screw driver for me?

A few seconds later Shera came over and brought him the screw driver. She looked around the garden at all the pieces of machinery that had been laid out, then she look at the two exhausted looking children.

"Cid, I'm going to take these two in for some lunch and a break"

"Fine, I've got what I need n if I need any help I'll call"

The children looked relieved and followed Shera into the kitchen. They sat down and Shera set a plate of sandwiches in front of them. Eagerly they started eating,

"I wonder how Tifa and Cloud are doing"

"I'm sure they are fine"

"I miss them Denzel and dad"

"… It I'll be alright"

Shera pretended she wasn't listening but to distract the children she put down a large pile of blank A4 paper.

"Would you two mind drawing some pictures for me? You see this wall looks like it needs a little colour" she waved a hand at the wall behind them.

"Okay !"

Shera smiled as she watched them scrawl with concentrated faces, she left them to it and brought a plate of sandwiches out to Cid and a cup of tea.

"I brought you some lunch"

"Ah huh just stick it down there a minute, I have to get this f$%£ing piece of $#!t engine to work"

"I hope you weren't talking like that around the children"

"Course nah"

"They seemed quite happy to help you out"

"Yeah they're good kids"

"I wonder if you'd be happy with a little man of your own to help you out"

There was a loud bang followed by a symphony of swearing, Cid had clearly banged his head. He rolled out from underneath the machine and picked up the cup of tea, draining it in seconds.

"Maybe I should go see what dem kids are doing"

"Yeah" Shera looked down slightly embarrassed. Cid picked up the plate of sandwiches and walked inside.

"watcha drawing"

He smiled as Denzel held up a picture of a big airship, the pilot closely resembled Cid. He turned his head to see what Marlene drew and frown.

"Ah sweet Gaia! Another one?"

Marlene looked at the picture smiling

"He is so pretty"

The picture was a face with light purple hair scribbled around it and two dark purple eyes.

"I donnae this cant be normal"

Shera nudged him and whispered

"It isn't uncommon for children her age to have imaginary friends"

"Ah gotcha" Cid took the picture and put it on a pile of similar pictures she had drawn on different days. They all featured the purple man; some of them were quite good.

"Right well as suppose I should start sticking these up"

He reached into a drawer and got out some blue tac, after softening it he started sticking the pictures to the walls.

"There!" he said proudly, someone knocked on the door and Shera opened it

"Mister Tuesti"

Reeve smiled warmly.

"Hello Shera, I was hoping to talk to Cid" he held up a large stuffed toy "for some repairs"

"Of course"

She stepped aside letting him in, a Cait Sith walked in behind him. Reeve stopped at one of the purple faces and smiled thinly "looks like Carl has been on there minds"

"Carl?"

Reeve pointed to the picture

"The man in the picture, Carl Jameson"

"You and ya spy cat would know wouldn't ya. Shera how bout some tea?"

Reeve sat down and gratefully accepted some tea.

"I was hoping you would be able to fix this MOG for Cait Sith to ride on… it would be a long way for him to walk and I don't want his joints wearing out"

"I take it Red doesn't want to walk him round any longer"

"No it isn't that, the last Cait Sith met its end the yesterday at the hands of some R-E-M-N-A-N-T-S" Cid whistled and lit a cigarette. He looked at Shera then whispered

"I would have loved to come for soma the action but Shera wants me to stay, something bothering her, plus now we have the kids"

"Of course" Reeve whispered back "I understand"

"Good"

"But do you think you can repair it?"

"I don't see why naht let me have a look at it…

Shera smiled as the both started talking technically about OS' and requirements and briefly let her hand stray to her belly.

**dun dun da, poor shera shes up the duff in every fanfic isnt she**


	26. Chapter 26 Roses Of Justice

**super special thanks to Acelightning who, nearly gave me a heart attack in my computer class when i checked my reviews. if you want to see what my reaction was like look up 'Jim Carrey holy hell from Liar Liar... my computer teacher is still giving me funny looks... anyway also thanks to Outskirts-of-nowhere and Miano**

Vincent had woken up shortly after Avarice's return to camp, he carefully looked around the camp. A cold wind gusted through the campsite, it was turning into a harsh winter. He noticed Tifa had Carl's coat draped over her as she slept peacefully near where Barret, who, like always, snored like a bear. Avarice seemed to be asleep but every so often her head would dip and she would snap upright to glance at Carl. Carl had barely moved the whole time Vincent had watched him; he had just been staring into the camp fire adding fuel when it had gotten low and sending side long glances at Nanaki who too had fallen asleep.

The sun had started to rise and the sky turned a brilliant orange-pink colour, Vincent shifted position and felt Carl's eyes on him briefly, a sixth sense he was sure he had picked up from Chaos. Carl remained silent, poking the fire with a stick; Vincent wondered if his words to Carl last night had been ill received. He looked at Carl from the corner of his eye, it was clear he was thinking of something troubling, he had a faraway look in his eye, like someone who was disoriented.

Tifa stirred, whatever spell had come over Carl was broken as she sat up sleepily, brushing a hand across her face to tidy a few stray hairs she yawned.

"Good morning"

"Morning"

Carl turned and smiled at her, he looked very different when he smiled, and without his jacket on, he could have passed for an entirely different person.

"You put your coat on me"

"… Those short-sleeves cant offer any protection against the elements"

"You sound like an old man"

"I am an old man"

"Well you only look like a teenager… how old are you again?"

"Uh…"

"You don't know!?"

"Not the precise amount of years" He admitted "but somewhere in the region of 2000"

"Years!?"

"Well yeah…uh you seem surprised"

"Well I knew you would be a lot older than you looked being a WEAPON and all but 2000 years, that's before Shinra! That's almost before JENOVA"

"Well I've been asleep for most of it" he said defensively

"Why are you two being so noisy?"

Barret grumbled and sat upright, a huge behemoth between Tifa and Carl.

"Sorry" Carl said bowing his head

"What the hell!? Did Chaos hit ya round the head? Why you being so formal?"

"Uh"

"Forget that, you okay kid? You ain't goanna go beasty on us again right?"

"No" he said with determination "and I'm not a kid"

"You are"

"I really am not, like I was just saying to Tifa; I'm over 2000 years old"

"2000 YEARS OLD!? Holy $#!^"

Carl sighed, exasperated, he looked at Nanaki

"What about you, your species lives a very long time, or so I have been told, I imagine you are older than you look"

"I'm only in my forties"

"Gee you make vampy sound young"

Carl turned his head, scanning the area, he didn't see anything.

"Is something wrong?"

"For a second… it doesn't matter, I wasn't right" Carl looked toward the marsh, the presence of the remnants was weaker then before. He was sure if he remained conscious then Sephiroth would not be able to take control, besides he had little choice, his purpose in life was to destroy remnants and eventually JENOVA, if he didn't pursue the remnants… then what good was he?

"Are you okay?"

He looked up to see Tifa looking at him worriedly

"I'm fi- good, I'm good"

She still looked worried but dropped the subject.

Carl waited patiently for the others to finish breakfast and be ready, Avarice however moaned about all the time they were wasting, just as impatient as always… something Avarice and Tempest had in common. His expression darkened as he remembered that night all those years ago. Waking up and noticing Tempest was gone, hearing whispers from the planet that told him she was in trouble… and then. He still remember the intense heat, Tempest crying and Avarice, the void that had opened between them. He didn't regret his decision though, his only regret was not being quicker, even a few seconds, and then he could have saved them both. He had noticed that Tempest had never healed the scar on her hand, even though it would have been simple but he supposed, some scars were deeper then the flesh.

"Okay ready"

"About time humans!"

"Shut' up lizard legs!"

"You shut up cyborg"

"whaddaya call me!?"

"Let's go" Carl said interrupting their fight "we should try and catch up with the remnant"

"Yes, come on Barret"

"Oh yeah say it too me not the creepy dragon lady"

"Watch it mortal"

They finally gave it up and started walking; in no time at all they were walking through the sparse vegetation on the lead up to the marsh. He was struck by an odd feeling again, like they were being followed. He stopped and looked around, there were a few trees and shrubs but nothing was hiding behind them. Suddenly he heard a loud shout

"KITTY!"

He scarcely managed to turn as the furry lump knocked him to the ground.

"oof" he said, winded and unable to move as the creature pranced over him.

"KITTY oh it's been so long! How are you? Oh wait don't tell me, you look like your in pain… are you hurt? Who hurt you? The princess and I can defeat them just point us in the right direction.

"I think you are the one hurting him"

Tifa said, looking at the strange creature pinning Carl to the ground.

"Oh it's a human! Big brother you're hanging out with a human! A pretty human!" she looked up "and a robot and a huge dog! He looks a bit like- wait is that guy?"

She jumped off Carl's chest, he didn't move straight away trying to get his breath back, the fuzzy creature landed in front of Vincent and picked up the corner of his tattered cape. She peered at him through a hole, paying particular attention to his golden gauntlet and the huge gun strapped to his leg. She looked at his eyes and smiled

"Wow… you sort of like extended family then, please to meet you Chaos, I thought you had wings? Maybe the legends were exaggerated"

"He does have wings Tempest but that's not Chaos, just his host"

"Avarice and Kitty in the same place?" she jumped back on top of Carl, who had only just managed to stand and was now, once again knocked to the ground.

"Does that mean you two are getting along now?"

"No it does not you irksome Moogle mutt"

This was Avarice who had just about had enough of Tempest to last a whole month.

"Mutt?"

"And get off Fury; I don't think he can breathe"

Tempest hastily got off Carl who gratefully sucked in air, the Moogle was a lot heavier than she looked. Tifa glanced between the three of them and finally said

"so this is like you're little sister? And could it be that the princess she was talking about was-"

"It is I! Wutai's champion of the earth" Tempest ran over to the base of a tree and joined in with a loud voice "and sky! Princess Yuffie and her trusty sidekick; Sky the untamable!"

Yuffie jumped to a lower branch, from the tree she had apparently been hiding in. unfortunately she didn't step quite correctly on the snow covered branch and slipped dramatically over backwards. Carl heard Vincent let out an exasperated sigh; this was a typical display of Yuffie-ish behavior, to her credit she never seemed to blush at these plunders.

"Princess! Are you okay? You're not broken are you? I had a toy soldier that broke once and"

"No I'm fine Sky, I think I got snow down my top that's all"

"Sky?" Carl asked dusting himself off "Since when is your name Sky?"

"Awhile" She said elusively "anyway Kitty! It has been to long! Where have you been?"

"Around" Carl replied elusively. He heard Barret snorting behind him

"Kitty? What kind of nickname is that?"

"Oh wow" Sky pounced on Barret her long tail whipping out for balance. Standing on his shoulders, she bent so she could look into his eyes upside down, she smiled.

"So what kind of creature are you?" she stepped onto his arm and peered at the metal.

"watcha mean!? I'm human"

"Really? Are you sure?"

"How cannae not be sure?"

"I don't know, you tell me because you more closely resemble a bear"

"Says the fuzzy creature standing on me" Barret huffed "would ya get off? Ya heavier then ten sacks o coal!"

Obediently Sky jumped down landing next to Carl, who Tifa was sure, she saw flinch. Sky grabbed Carl in a tight, bone crushing, hug, pinning both his arms to his side

"Kitty I've missed you!"

"I'd appreciate if you stopped calling me that"

He said a touch testily.

"wah, fine then but what am I meant to call ya? Dances-With-Wolves? You don't like it when I call you Fury! SO"

"Please shut up" Carl asked freeing a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose "just call me Carl not Kitty"

"Carl?"

"Yes"

"That's a stupid name can I call you Karly instead?"

"No… that's a girl's name"

"It's a pretty name"

"I'm not a dog, you can't call me what ever you like"

"But brother!"

Sky whined, looking upset.

"Hey you!"

He turned to look a Yuffie, who poked him in the chest.

"Don't upset you're little sister Kitty, she has been talking about you for ages"

Before Carl could say anything Yuffie grabbed his hand and Sky's hand probably to say something condescending about how they should be friendly toward each other. An instant rush of memories and faces blurred his vision; he wrenched his hand away from the teen.

"Hey I was only being nice you don't have to snatch your hand away like that! Sheesh"

"My apologies princess Yuffiemia" he said ever so sarcastically.

There was a deathly silence; Yuffie stared with an equal mix of horror and rage with a dash of embarrassment.

"H…h….how...? You know… HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT NAME!?"

She shrieked at a very surprised looking Carl.

"urm…" he said, too taken aback to understand what had gone wrong.

"Yuffiemia!?"

Barret crowed, his laughter covering the noise of Yuffie's shrieking.

The combined noise of the party was like a small marching band. After a few seconds of nearly everyone talking over everyone except, Vincent and Tifa. Tifa whistled and brought an end to the ruckus.

"Yuffie, you should be more careful!" Tifa scolded putting on her voice she used to deal with naughty children

"Me!? What did I do!? He's the spy" pointing at Carl "reprimand him!"

"It's my fault Yuffiemia, when I"

"STOP CALLING ME YUFFIEMIA! IT'S YUFFIE NOT YUFFIEMIA"

"Yuffie" he said somewhat hesitantly but Sky cut across.

"Don't be mad princess, he cant help it! When he touches people he sucks up memories like a sponge, he probably just got one of someone calling you… is your name really Yuffiemia?"

"No… well it is but I never use it… it's just what my dad calls me when he's mad"

"He would have to be mad to call you Yuffiemia"

Yuffie could tell that the 'fun' portion of her life had just ended…


	27. Chapter 27 Cyan

**Sorry that I have been unable to update for so long, the school internet has been down for… well whenever I last updated. In fact it is still down I just *cough* anyway im on *a* computer and I am updating… DON'T JUDGE ME!**

"I'm bored"

Sky said for the umpteenth time.

"Only boring people get bored"

Carl said absently

"My feet are wet"

"Thanks for letting me know¿"

"I'm tired"

"I'm tired of hearing your voice"

There was a brief moment of silence and then:

"I'm bored, you're mean"

"*mutter* I'll show you what mean is in a minute if you don't shut up"

Sky's ear twitched

"Did you say something?"

"Stop being so noisy or I'll feed you to a zolum"

"wahhh!"

"Forget the zolum" Avarice said sinisterly "I'll eat her myself if she doesn't shut up"

"wahhh, why cant this be like the time we all went to costa del sol?"

"For one thing it isn't half as sunny and for another, you remember what happened last time you were at costa del sol?"

Tifa noticed Carl's steps falter

"I remember" he said in a slightly deeper tone then usual.

"Time to forgive and forget brother! Anyway no one got hurt and I didn't know you would freak out if I lock you in the basement"

"I didn't freak out" Tifa was surprised to hear Carl snap "and you did know that is exactly why you did it and I swear if you ever do that again, I won't be held accountable for my actions!"

"What happened in costa del sol?" Tifa asked curiously, Avarice pointed at Sky "long story short, she doesn't have a brain and decided to lock -like-small-spaces, in the basement of a bar, now it's called 'The Skylight Tavern' by the locals"

"But it was funny!"

"It wasn't funny… it was about as far from funny as anything can be"

"Your face!"

Carl looked at Sky like she was mentally ill then shook his head dismissively. Finally they reached the bank on the other side of the marsh.

The feeling he had yesterday, the sense of lots of remnants just here, was gone. They entered the cave, there was a lingering scent of remnants, Kadaj had most definitely gone this way, his blood had dripped on to the stone floor, making him easy to tail. Something moved in Carl's peripheral vision, he turned and stared down one of the winding stone pathways.

"Something wrong?"

He glanced at Tifa, "I thought I saw something…" he looked back down the path. Tifa looked too

"Maybe we should check it out"

Barret snorted dismissively

"It's jus' some beast, let's just follow the gory blood trail like the good ole days"

Carl nodded; they hadn't got very far when he started to feel like he was being watched. Carl glanced at Sky who was stupidly playing with Avarice's tail; he looked past her into the gloom. He couldn't sense anyone there, it was just a feeling.

***Giggle***

Carl looked around trying to pin point the noise but he couldn't, it seemed as though it was all around him. Turning back he saw it, just a glimpse of something; a pale hand of a young girl.

"The hell!?"

Without thinking he chased it, Avarice raised her talons thinking he was running at her but did nothing as he ran past her.

"Carl wait!"

He didn't, he ran following the specter until he was alone in the center of a small cavern. As a rule he hated caves, he had always been a severe claustrophobic and already he could feel his pulse quickening.

***giggle big brother you are funny***

He turned, confused, it was dark but something caste a dull green light his way. He found it's source; a mako fountain, it was beautiful but he kept his distance. He saw something out of the corner of his eye and heard a quick scampering, twisting in time to see the huge black creature. He lashed out at hit feeling hard rough cold skin and smelling blood…

**Nothing like a cliffhanger to get the blood running, oh and good luck to all the Americans facing their finals, if you're reading this you are awesome and you will surely pass! Haha**


	28. Chapter 28 Illusions of Pride

**Introducing two new but essential characters! Outskirts how did you guess?**

Carl stared at his hand, finally what had happened registered. He examined the wall more closely; four deep gouges cut into it.

"Scared of your own shadow?"

Carl spun round, ready to fight.

"Chill, it's only me littl'un"

Carl dropped his stance and sighed

"I wish you'd stop calling me that…"

"Aw… but you are a littl'un"

"What are you doing here Indolence?"

"Oh geez my full name, why are you mad at me?"

"Why. Are. You. Here?"

"Meh I was just passing through felt a disturbance and you know"

He took a step closer, still smiling like an idiot his purple eyes twinkling. Indolence was at least a head taller then him, not including his cowboy hat. Despite towering over most people he wasn't intimidating in the slightest.

"You sensed that I transformed…"

"Well I sensed you were in distress… anyway, you're travelling with people"

"Just some friends"

"Well I'm glad… listen, I don't know if you heard but Pride is on the move"

Carl stiffened, immediately feeling afraid but hiding it from Indolence.

"I see…"

"And you can guess who's on the top of his list for punishment"

"Does he know…? That I'm travelling with humans?"

"I think so… he wasn't exactly shouting about it, I pick all this stuff up on the wire you know… so stay close to them… too late to back out there I'm afraid"

"…"

"Cheer up littl'un"

"Why don't you come with us? We need all the help we can get!"

"Would love to, unfortunately I'm on a mission"

"Oh really…"

"Yep, my cat has run off again"

"Ferdinand?"

"Yep that one"

"And that is more important then tracking down and killing JENOVA?"

"Hey, that's your purpose not mine, I just go with the flow besides, I'm a pacifist… anyway tootles"

Indolence put a hand on the wall, turning into water and disappearing into it

"…hey were you the one making the noise?"

But he was already gone, leaving Carl in the dark. Pride… he wondered how many years had past since he'd seen his older brother. Older *half* brother… he didn't like the idea of being related to him, it was sickening.

"Carl? Hey Carl? Where are you?"

It was Tifa; he looked around hearing her footsteps.

"I'm over here"

She stumbled into the cavern and spotted him and his bleeding hand.

"Oh what happened!?"

He glanced at his hand

"It's nothing, I was just being stupid"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes fine it's just a graze"

"No... Not that I meant, you look sort of shocked"

"Do I? (well I did just here about Pride) don't worry it's…nothing"

"Right… you just ran off, did you find it?"

"No… it must have just been my mind playing tricks on me"

"Oh okay… let's get back to the others…"

Carl followed Tifa's gaze to the mako fountain

"Is this your first time seeing one?"

"no, there was one near where I used to live… it has been a while since I've seen one… the reactors used to make them dry up"

"I understand… they are very pretty"

"For some reason I didn't think I'd hear a guy like you say something like that"

"Like me?"

"You know… someone tough… a warrior"

"Hmm I never thought of that but I suppose you're right"

"We should get back… the others will be worried about us"

"You're right… we should go"

They started back toward the others, Carl had a feeling someone was watching him… probably Indolence. He smiled at the thought, Indolence may avoid any real work but he was in the know.

…

When Carl and Tifa left the cavern someone new entered. He was tall a thin and was dressed in purple robes. He had a tall pointed hat that caste a shadow over his face. He was clearly a death-mask. One skeletal hand reached into a pocket to retrieve a deck of tarot cards. A long snake-like tongue flicked out in between sharp teeth, licking the underside of his mask. He looked at the card he had picked and smiled sinisterly.

"It seems the fates are in your favor" he looked up, two ultraviolet eyes peering into the darkness "little brother…

**Hehe walk in walk out I'm afraid, lots to get done!**

**Oh and sorry for the short chapters but i would like to announce th arrival of...  
**

**The Ask The WEAPON R!  
**

**please check it out  
**

** : / / a s k - t h e - . **

**and i will answer *cough* and the characters will answer any and all questions  
**


	29. Chapter 29 Reflections in the Rain

"wah Avarice hit me!"

Cried Sky to Carl as he arrived back, Carl shrugged

"and?"

"wah !"

"ah I see"

Sky glanced back the way Carl and Tifa had come

"so did you find anything?"

"nothing I was looking for"

"well let's go then"

Carl nodded deep in thought, why had Pride become active now? He suppressed a shudder, each encounter with Pride had left a painful memory behind and a dull ache in the corner of his mind. Pride was the self proclaimed leader of the WEAPONS and was the third eldest. He was infamous for his temper and his obsession with punishing WEAPONS who went against his rules. He hated humans with a passion most people could only dream about.

Carl didn't like being in the cave, he tried to focus on following the spots of blood in front of him but his attention quickly wondered to the walls… how thick were they? Enough that he wouldn't be able to break through them he was sure... was it just him or was the passage getting narrower. After a few minutes of silent walking Sky clapped a hand on his shoulder and said loudly making him jump.

"I'm booooorrrrrreeeedddd!"

Tifa looked up at Sky who had wrapped to furry arms around Carl's neck

"we'll be out of the cave soon, look the trail leads to the exit"

Tifa pointed off to the exit where light entered the cave. Carl immediately seemed more relaxed, he really doesn't like it here, Tifa thought as she looked at him. Carl seemed to sense her and turned slightly to look, she smiled warmly at him, he gave a halfhearted attempt to smile back but something was clearly troubling him.

**Think you'll be able to protect her?**

…

**You know she'll be on his list too.**

**Might as well make the most of her now before he makes her scre-**

Enough! I don't want to hear it

**He will make you the one to hurt her…**

**But you already knew that didn't you?**

Carl resisted the urge to look at Tifa, as if she might have been hurt without him noticing. Fury was right of course; when Pride decided to attack… he didn't think there was anything he could do to stop him.

They emerged out of the cave and into the light, the trail ended.

"that's it?" Yuffie whined "what happened!? Did he get Sephiroth wings and fly away?"

Carl knelt down examining the last drop of blood

"no… he healed himself, there's more blood here… he must have rested then healed the wound"

Nanaki sniffed the ground "how will we track him? his scent ends here"

"I don't know… where would you head if you were injured?"

"what about Fort Condor? That's not too far away and has a place to rest"

Carl looked at Tifa "Fort Condor? You think so?" she nodded "well then… shall we depart?"

Everyone nodded but as they started to walk it began to rain. Not just a light shower, a downpour, snow was reduced to slush and the team took cover in the cave. It was the sort of rain that made Carl think was a sign, a bad omen.

"looks like we'll have to wait a while" Tifa said gently "no use getting our gear wet and doubling our weight"

"true enough…"

Carl stared out into the rain… it reminded him of a time around 50 years ago. It had been raining then too, that's probably why s-

"you okay?"

Carl blinked, his thoughts interrupted by Tifa.

"fine" he said dully

"you sure?" Tifa sat cross legged beside him "because, you know… a problem shared is a problem halved"

"I wouldn't burden you with even a half of any of my problems…"

"so you admit there's something wrong"

Carl smiled at Tifa

"you're a very determined woman miss Lockhart"

"I am indeed mister Jameson"

They both smiled at each other briefly but Carl's smile faded after a few seconds.

"I don't mean to worry you Tifa… I've done that enough in the recent past…"

"you stop right there" Carl looked up startled "of course I'm going to worry about you. You're my friend! And as such I cant just watch you suffer without trying to help you"

"…you're too good for this world Tifa"

"ha. Hardly! There are many people better then me, what about Reeve? Or theWRO?"

Carl smiled thinly

"And yet you're the one who amazes me most"

Tifa was slightly stunned at this statement and didnt know what to say, so... she didnt say anything. Carl looked back out into the rain, it was almost laughable how he both loved and loathed silence. He loved it because he found it a struggle to talk in a manner that didnt single him out as different. It was very easy for him to slip up in speech, revealing more then he'd want to about himself. However, he also hated silence... It made him think about things he'd rather not, feel things he'd rather not... Remember things he'd rather not. Like now...

**It's getting dark outside ** It's always dark this time of year

**I don't like the dark **I wont let anything hurt you...

**You dont like the dark either? ** no... I think it can be scary

**but you're so brave ** not always... only if I have to be

_**It had been raining then too...**_

_**history always repeated itself...**_

**Frou-Frou?** **FIFTY YEARS**Yes?

**I'm scared ****HAS PAST... AND **of what?

**The Darkman** **YET NOTHING CAN** ...Pride...

**You're scared of him? ****ERASE THE PAIN...** Maybe a little...

**He hurt you...** **IF I WAS A GOOD LIAR** I'm sorry you had to see...

**He's really scary** **I MIGHT SAY, I WISH I** i'll never let him hurt you...

**I love you Frou-Frou ** **HAD NEVER MET HER ** I love you too

**I PROMISED HER**

**THAT I WOULDNT LET HER GET HURT**

**BUT...**

**it**

**went**

**like this;**

**Sounds of rain**

**hitting the ground.**

**Someone running hard.**

**The distant howls of wolves**

**panting and sniffing close**

**by...his own choked sobs**

**and then the endless**

**screams**

**I**

**couldn't**

**protect**

**her...**

**I**

**could**

**only**

**loose**

**myself**

**in**

**the**

**endless **

**screams...**

"You've zoned out again" Tifa said, waving a hand in front of his face

"Sorry... This sort of weather makes me like this..."

Tifa looked out at the rain

"I like the rain... It makes everything seem so fresh and clean!"

He smiled at her... she was so young and hopeful... He glanced at Sky and hoped everything would be alright.

**This time I will not fail**

He looked over at Tifa

**I will protect you**

**"**Tifa" Barret called "think we should jes settle down? This storm ain't lettin up?"

"Might be a good idea" she called back, looking at Carl "you look like you could use the sleep"

"Maybe..." he wasn't planning on sleeping... Not with Sephiroth just waiting... And Pride...he didnt even want to think of him

remember to check out the

tumble

R

ask the weapons with - inbetween :-)

also will be gone a while my laptops broken :-(


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